Carson National pitcher Drew Moreland delivers a pitch during their game in the Little League DIstrict Tournament at Governor's Field in Carson CIty, Nev., on Friday, July 14, 2006. (AP Photo Brad Horn, Nevada Appeal)
Those three earlier losses can be forgotten now. Carson National ended its run in the District 1 Little League 11-12 All-Star Tournament on a positive note with a 16-5 victory against Sparks National Friday afternoon at Governor's Field.
Carson National rebounded from tough losses in each of the three previous days and scored 16 runs on 16 hits in four innings in its final round robin game.
On one hand, there was disappointment for Carson National because its 1-3 record was not good enough to qualify for the tournament's single elimination championship bracket play which begins today. And to compound the disappointment, each of those four opponents have qualified to move on. Two of the losses were heart breakers - 4-3 against Washoe on Tuesday and 8-5 in seven innings against unbeaten Carson Valley on Wednesday.
"I wish we were playing this weekend," Carson National manager Chris Petersen shrugged afterward. "Our draw in this tournament was unbelievable. It was tough playing four days in a row; not only that, we played four of the best teams in the tournament."
That's the only regret he expressed, though.
"Definitely, it was nice to finish on a positive," Petersen said. "This is a great bunch of kids. I'm proud of each and every one of them. Every game we battle; we left our hearts out on the field."
Carson National turned in an error-free performance on the field, capped off by a 1-6-3 double play from Drew Moreland to Chance Quilling to Jace Carlson that closed out the game.
Moreland pitched the four-inning distance, allowing six hits and four walks in his second appearance of the tournament. He was a hard-luck loser in the 4-3 loss against powerful Washoe on Tuesday.
There was no lack for offensive support this time and it all started with a two-out rally that produced four runs in the top of the first inning.
Quilling got the ball rolling when he bounced a two-out single past shortstop. Moreland singled up the middle, Nate Landes followed with an RBI single to center, Carlson doubled into the left-center field gap to plate two runs and Max Keller singled a run home to make it 4-0.
Carson National sent 13 batters to the plate during a seven-run rally in the second. Ty Welch walked, Danny Okimura singled and Rory Petersen singled a run home to open the inning. Quilling followed with a two-run double, Landes doubled another run home, Cody Scarlett drew a bases loaded walk to force a run home and Welch hit a two-run single to finish the rally and make it 11-0.
Sparks scored one run in the second on a run-scoring single by Leonel Abundis, then added four runs in the third to cut Carson's lead to 14-5. Austin Sampson-Yarrow's two run single was the big hit for Sparks in the third. And the damage might have been even more extensive if not for two sparkling catches in center field by Welch, who went to his knees to make both catches for the first two outs of the inning.
Carson scored twice in the fourth to create an early end due to the 10-run rule. Okimura and Petersen connected for back-to-back doubles and Moreland added an RBI single to account for the runs.
Welch hit 2-for-2 with four RBI from the No. 9 spot in the order. Landes also hit 2-for-2, Petersen 2-for-3, Okimura 2-for-4, Quilling 2-for-4 and Moreland 2-for-4 to lead the offense. Josh Gogna and Keller were both 1-for-2, giving Carson National nine players who reached the hit column.
Malcolm Anderson hit 2-for-2 to lead Sparks National.