RENO -- After being a part of what he considers one of the best games he's even seen, Carson American coach Jim Blueberg thinks he might need several pots of coffee this afternoon.
"It just doesn't get any better than that. That's what you play for," Blueberg said. "I can tell you I'm not going to get any sleep tonight. I'm just going to keep replaying that game over and over in my head."
Well, at least he selected a good game to pull an all-nighter thinking about.
In the top of the sixth, Austin Pacheco hit what turned out to be the game-winning hit. Then in the bottom half of the sixth, he tagged out what would've been the game-tying run at home after an unbelievable throw from right fielder Adam Whitt as Carson American beat Reno Continental 11-10 at South Valleys Regional Sports Complex.
Carson American will play Reno National tonight at 7 in the losers bracket of the 9-10 year old division of the District I Little League All-Star Tournament. Early on in Friday's elimination game against Reno Continental, though, it looked like Carson American's tournament was going to end.
"We had a rough beginning but then we really played great," Blueberg said. "(Starter) Austin Law pitched great, Bryan Sommers came in and did a good job. Then Colby (Blueberg) came in and, wow, it was pressure the entire way."
In the first inning, Reno Continental scored four runs on Tony Rosa's RBI single, Jace Puckett's two-run single and an error. Carson American never got much off starter Pedro Alvarez until a scary moment in the fourth inning.
Colby Blueberg led off the inning with a walk, Connor Van Dyck singled and Law singled to load the bases. Alvarez, who had only given up one hit in the first three innings, was smacked in the throat by Whitt's RBI single. He was on the grass for several minutes before walking off the field and leaving the game for a few innings. His injury may have dampened the fans' mood, but it didn't change Carson American's focus.
Zach Berg followed with a two-run single to make it 4-3. Then with the bases loaded and two outs, all three runners scored following two errors as Carson American took its first lead, 6-4.
Reno Continental quickly regained it in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs on four hits to go up 8-6. But the fourth was just a glimpse of what the final two innings included. Nicholas Domitrovich scored Sommers on a bases loaded ground ball, then Dylan Sawyers hit a two-run triple to put his team up 9-8. Reno Continental tied the game 9-9 in the fifth, which set up a big sixth inning.
Colby Blueberg and Van Dyck both walked and Berg hit a two-out single to make it 10-9. Pacheco then hit what proved to be the winning hit when he singled and scored Van Dyck from second. In the bottom of the sixth, Justin Watson's RBI single scored Rosa as Reno Continental trailed 11-10.
Colby Blueberg recorded a strike out for the inning's second out but Watson had advanced to second during the at-bat. That left everything up for Puckett, who drilled a single to right field. But as Watson rounded third, Whitt collected the ball and made a perfect throw to Pacheco, who made the tag to end the game.
"Adam Whitt, the reason why he's out there is that can really play the position," coach Blueberg said. "He's fast and he knows what to do. That throw to Austin Pacheco at the plate was pure instinct. Most other kids his age would've thrown to second. Neither team deserved to lose."
Van Dyck, Berg and Pacheco each had three hits while Berg had three RBI and Sawyers two RBI.
"If we can hit the ball and play defense the way we did tonight, I'm sure we can win another one," coach Blueberg said. "Our pitching is actually in pretty good shape. We can throw our ace, Connor Van Dyck, tomorrow. Well, he's one of our aces, along with Austin Law. And we have three guys who can throw in relief."