NEVADA - The Nevada baseball team pulled off its second-straight shocker at Billy Sunday Field July 14 as the Cubs took out Raccoon River Conference champion Carlisle in a well-played 3-1 game.
Nevada recorded a 4-2 victory over Perry, then the 10th-ranked team in Class 3A, two days prior to its game against Carlisle and the Cubs turned in an even better performance against the seventh-rated Wildcats.
"It's the best I've ever seen Nevada play," Cub head coach Brad Cross said. "It's tough to put into words how tough these kids had to play to win. Carlisle threw an all-conference pitcher (Jared Shoning), caught an all-conference catcher (Mikey Henrichs) and had a lineup of players that will play college ball."
Curtis Borts was the hero of the game offensively. He had the only two hits of the game for Nevada and he made them count big time by blasting a solo home run in the first inning and then connecting for a two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth to plate the winning runs.
"Curtis had a game for the ages," Cross said. "After hitting a two-out solo shot in the first he never saw another fastball, and after a leadoff walk to Nick Sutton in the sixth, he went up looking for a curveball and he connected for a two-run homer. There was no doubt when it left the bat."
Sutton was the winning pitcher as he outworked Carlisle's talented lineup for all seven innings of play, allowing just four hits and one walk, while also picking up a strikeout.
"Nick threw his best game of the year and the defense backed him up," Cross said. "He threw a one-hitter through five innings, and facing four batters over the minimum against their lineup is extraordinary."
Nevada ended up with two errors, but the Cubs' overall effort in the field defensively was outstanding, according to Cross.
"Nick and Curtis were obviously fantastic, but every player on the field made a play to help win," Cross said.
Cub catcher Alex Cross decoyed a Carlisle runner on a passed ball and then threw out a Wildcat runner at second to end the game as the top defensive play for Nevada. Cub second baseman Cole Sheets caught a ball and doubled off a runner to end the second inning, shortstop Ty Borton had three assists and no errors, left fielder Tyler Olson made four catches and third baseman Tyler Ellingson snared a pair of line drives in the first inning for Nevada on defense.
The win improved Nevada's record to 7-18 and the Cubs ended up 4-12 in the RRC.
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C 000 001 0 - 1 4 1
N 100 002 X - 3 2 2
N: Nick Sutton and Alex Cross
WP: Sutton
HR: N - Curtis Borts 2
