Carson Cannons win tournament

On a weekend when the Carson Cannons 18-and-under baseball club scored 70 runs in four games, there was actually some room for a good pitching duel.

And Ryan Henry pitched four-hit ball on Sunday as the Cannons edged past El Dorado (Placerville, Calif.) 2-1 to capture the Red Dawgs Fall Shootout championship in Sparks. The Cannons (21-5-2) won all four of their games to win the championship trophy of the two-day round robin fall ball tournament.

Carson scored single runs in the third and fourth innings and Henry bested El Dorado left-hander Van Riley in a pitching dual at Don Mello Sports Complex. Riley finished with a five-hitter and nine strikeouts.

Owen Brolsma doubled and scored on a wild pitch for the Cannons in the third inning. In the fourth Aaron Henry singled, stole second, advanced to third on a fielder's choice and scored what proved to be the winning run on another wild pitch.

The Cannons were aided by some solid defense late. With one runner aboard in the sixth inning, left fielder Aaron Henry made a diving catch of a drive into the gap to end the rally. Then in the seventh, with an El Dorado runner on second base, shortstop Carl Winter alertly picked up a deflected grounder and started a rundown between second and third for a key out.

Tony Teixeira hit a pair of home runs to help the Cannons finish their weekend with an easy victory against the Sparks Tribe later on Sunday.

The Cannons return to action next Sunday with a a round robin event against the Sparks Red Dawgs and a team from Sacramento. The Cannons wrap up their fall season at the 12-team Fresno Fall Showcase on Nov. 2-4.