Carson National 9-10s drop a thriller

Carson National 9-10s drop a thriller

Appeal Staff Report

LITTLE LEAGUE DISTRICT TOURNAMENT

9-10s

SPARKS NATIONAL 7, CARSON NATIONAL 6

Sparks National ruined Carson National's last-inning comeback with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to claim the victory at Aspen Park, in Gardnerville.

"I tell you, it was a great ballgame," said Carson National coach Barry Lawless. "You never like to lose, but if you gotta lose, you want to play in a game like that. It was a nail-biter."

Carson National to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when P.J. White - who reached base on a walk - came home on a John Holton single.

Sparks National answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning and added on more in the second for a 3-1 lead.

White - who went 2-for-4 - scored another run in the third on a Hunter Wilfert RBI single to trim the lead to 3-2. Wilfert finished the game 3-for-4.

After Sparks National added another run in the fourth, Carson National answered with two of its own in the fifth. White and Wilfert both singled and Kyle Steele brought them both home with a double to make it 4-4.

Sparks National took the lead again in the bottom of the fifth, but Carson slugged their way back to a one-run lead. White walked and then stole second before coming in for his third run on a Wilfert single. John Nolan later walked and eventually stole home to give Carson a 6-5 lead, but it couldn't hold on.

"I told the kids, 'Keep your heads up and come out fighting tomorrow,'" Lawless said.

Brandon Davidson went 3 2/3 innings and Nolan Shine finished up as the pair combined for 12 strikeouts, while giving up seven hits.

Carson National will play Reno National today at 5:30 p.m. at Aspen Park. Carson is now 1-1 and Lawless said his team must win at least one of its next two games to advance to become one of the eight teams to advance to the quarterfinals in the district tournament.