BRAD HORN/Nevada Appeal Carson American Dylan Sawyers connects for an RBI single during the first inning at Governor's Field on Thursday. Sawyers also had a grand slam home run.
Carson American coach Jim Blueberg is feeling pretty good about his team right now and following the Americans' 17-2 demolition of South Tahoe in Thursday's Nevada District 1 Little League 11-12 All-Star Tournament at Governor's Field, who can blame him?
Carson was powered by five home runs - including a grand slam - and used four pitchers -all to good effect -in improving to 4-0 this week.
"I don't know what to say. I guess it was just a matter of who hit it the farthest," Blueberg said. "In the last 18 innings, we've scored 65 runs. I know it will be different when we face the top pitchers in the district. They'll slow us down somewhat. I hope not, but somewhat.
"Everyone we have faced, we have hammered. Every pitcher we have faced, we have hammered. Going into the game, we had a .750 on-base percentage - I'm sure it went up. We were hitting .441 as a team. I'm sure that went up."
Carson sent 15 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning and jumped out to a 10-0 lead.
South Tahoe starter Alex Potnick faced six batters without recording an out and was relieved by gutsy Rylan Tepper, who was hit by a pitch in the top of the inning and left the game temporarily.
Carson shortstop Colby Blueberg hit a two-run double to give his team the early lead and three batters later, Potnick walked Bryan Sommers with the bases loaded to bring in Blueberg for a 3-0 Carson lead.
Tepper gamely struck out the first two batters he faced, but guts and determination were not enough to slow down the Americans.
First baseman Tim Baylor came home on a passed ball and right fielder Zach White hit a three-run homer to give Carson a 7-0 lead.
Brock Pradere and Dylan Sawyers followed with a pair of singles and while Blueberg was battling Tepper, both scored on passed balls. Blueberg - who finished 2-for-3, with 3 RBI - cracked a solo homer for a commanding 10-0 lead.
"We have a lot of confidence," Jim Blueberg said. "I don't feel there's any team we can't compete with. We have as good a chance as anyone. If we keep hitting like we are and keep pitching the way we have been, we have a chance."
Connor Beattie, Baylor, Sommers and Carter Nuckolls each went one inning on the mound for Carson, with Beattie and Sommers giving up only one run apiece.
South Tahoe tried to mount a counterattack in the second and catcher Jake Braun reached home as Joe Zanetell hit into a fielder's choice, making it 10-1. But after giving up a single to Colton Marchesseault, Baylor forced Craig Kandoff to ground out to first.
"We're seven pitchers deep - we're deep in pitching," Jim Blueberg said. "We don't have any overpowering master fastball guys, but we have guys who can pitch. The last two nights I haven't had to do a lot of coaching. I just have to get everyone in. They come off the bench and hit. This is the best team I have ever coached. It's like coaching the '27 Yankees. It's like Murderer's Row. There's no easy out in the lineup."
After Tepper - who lasted 1 1/3 innings - walked Colton Dufresne and White (Tepper also got Tommy Champion to pop out), Jared Morris relieved him. Pradere singled to load the bases and Sawyers followed with a grand slam to left field and a 14-1 lead in the second.
Zanatell relieved Morris to begin the third, but fared no better as Nicholas Domitrovich belted a round-tripper. After Zanatell hit Sommers with a pitch, Beattie hit a line drive over the center-field wall for a three-run homer and an insurmountable 17-1 lead.
Zanatell brought in a runner when he grounded into a fielder's choice in the fourth, but the extra run wasn't enough and the game was stopped in the bottom of the fourth because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Jim Blueberg said his Americans will take off today and return to action at Governor's Field Saturday at 2:30 p.m. against a team to be determined. Blueberg said his team had scored the most runs, but the tie-breaker goes to the team that has allowed the least runs, so the No. 1 seed would go to Reno National, and the No. 2 seed to Carson American.
The single-elimination portion of the tournament begins Saturday and Blueberg said anything is possible - which may be a good thing for the Americans.
"It's going to be all about how we match up," he said. "You can lose a one-run game and be knocked out. But win or lose, I know we have a chance. We could win this thing. It can happen."
Last year Carson American lost, 9-0, to Washoe in the championship game. But with this year's group, Blueberg has reason to be optimistic.