Carson American overpowers Sparks Centennial

Carson American wasted no time getting its offense in gear Wednesday night.

Of the first 11 batters who came to bat in the first two innings, 10 reached base safely and eight came around to score as Carson American started fast and never looked back en route to a 19-2 District 1 Little League 11-12 year-old Tournament victory against Sparks Centennial at Governor's Field.

Even though the game was shortened to four innings due to the 10-run rule, nine different players contributed base hits to the attack to help Carson American improve its record to 3-0 in the round robin bracket play. The club has scored 48 runs in those three games.

"Our offense has been extremely explosive," Carson American manager Jim Blueberg said. "They've been swinging all three games. It's been hit, hit, hit all the way up and down the lineup."

They were aggressive from the start in this game. Dylan Sawyers, the second batter of the game, took the first pitch he saw over the left-center field fence for a home run to give Carson American a 1-0 lead. The damage in that first inning might have been even more extensive, except Carson American had two runners thrown out on the bases - one attempting to take an extra base on a hit into the gap in left-center, another thrown out trying to steal second.

It was pretty much the only time all night that Carson American's aggressiveness didn't pay off.

Nicholas Domitrovich singled to lead off the second and moments later Brian Summers blasted a first-pitch drive over the left field fence for a two-run homer and 3-0 lead.

"We try to be aggressive," Blueberg said. "You're always looking for something to drive, and 0-0 on the count, that's a good pitch to try and do it."

After a walk and two errors loaded the bases, Brock Pradere singled one run home and Sawyers scored another on a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left field.

In addition to their home runs, Sawyers hit 3-for-3 with five RBIs and Summers 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs to lead Carson American offensively. Colby Blueberg also hit 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Connor Beattie contributed a two-run single in the fourth.

Bluefield, Beattie, Cole Dufresne and Pradere combined to pitch four-hit ball for Carson American. Sparks Centennial scored both of its runs in the second inning when Nolan Burfield singled and Chad Gray hit a long home run to left.

Beattie got back-to-back called strikeouts to end a bases loaded threat in the third inning.

Carson American faces South Tahoe in a 5:30 p.m. contest today at Governor's Field.