Americans and Nationals advance to showdown

Appeal Staff Report

Major League Baseball teams won't be the only ones taking part in interleague action this week.

Both Carson American and Carson National teams rolled to victories on Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the Little League 11-12-year-old Hooligans All-Star Tournament at Gardnerville's Aspen Park. Carson National beat Reno American West 19-4 while Carson American beat Sparks Centennial 24-3. The Americans and the Nationals will play each other at 8 p.m. today for the right to be in Thursday's championship game.

After being set down 1-2-3 in the first inning, the Nationals erupted for 15 runs in the second to take control against Reno. T.J. Thomsen hit a grand slam home run " a mammoth 300-foot shot " and Alex Borgman added a solo shot during the rally.

Thomsen went 3-for-4 with three runs, Kyle Steele was 2-for-4, Nevin Elliott was 1-for-3 with a run, Borgman was 2-for-2 with two runs, Archie Redmond went 2-for-4 with three runs, Evan Carlson was 3-for-3 with three runs, Chase Blueberg went 3-for-3 with two runs and Ronnie Orzalli scored two runs.

Josiah Pongasi, Carlson, Jacob Roll and Orzalli combined to give the Nationals a solid effort on the mound in the game that was called after four innings due to the mercy rule.

CARSON AMERICAN 24, SPARKS CENTENNIAL 3

The Americans led 9-3 going into the sixth when they scored 15 runs to bust the game wide open with the highlight being Joe Runge's grand slam home run. Jace Zampirro went 5-for-6 with a two-run home run and struck out seven over 3 1/3 shutout innings.

Zach Andrews went 5-for-6 and Chaz Nystrom went 3-for-5. Dalton Butler pitched the last 2 2/3 innings.