GARDNERVILLE - By percentage points, Carson City's 11-12-year-old all-star squad has moved on to the single-elimination portion of the District 1 tournament after a 10-9 win over Reno American East Friday night at Aspen Park.
The news wasn't so good for Carson's 10-11-year-old all-star team. Carson dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker to South Tahoe and didn't move on to the single-elimination phase of the tourney. The locals played three close games, losing 11-10, 6-4 and the aforementioned 2-1.
Carson, Reno Continental and North Tahoe all finished pool play with 2-2 records. Reno Continental received the third seed behind Reno National (4-0) and Sparks Centennial (3-1). Carson City is the fourth seed on the basis of its runs-allowed ratio compared to North Tahoe.
Carson City's reward for its win is a game against perennial powerhouse Washoe today at 2 p.m. at Aspen Park.
CARSON 10, RENO AMERICAN EAST 9
K.C. Meyer walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to snap a 9-all tie and give Carson a big victory.
Josiah Pongasi started the seventh with a double and Shane Andrews followed with a bunt single. With the infield in, Kyle Steele hit a one-hopper to the second baseman, who held Pongassi at third and threw to first for the out. Brandon Allen was walked intentionally to load the bases. Meyer was re-entered into the game to face Kyle Drager, who had wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning. Meyer worked the count full and Drager's next pitch was off target, ending the game.
"We showed up and hit the ball tonight," Carson manager Jim Andrews said. "We're still making too many errors. We can't give teams extra outs.
"The kids were fired up for a change. They wanted this one."
Carson scored four in the second and two in the fifth en route to a 9-5 lead entering the bottom of the sixth. Shane Andrews had a key double in the second and Brandon Davidson sparked the fifth-inning surge with two hits.
Hunter Wilfert, who came on in relief in the fourth, was touched for four runs on two hits and an error, as Reno American stormed back to tie the game at 9 in the sixth. Other than that one inning, he threw very well.
Carson had a chance to win the game in the sixth, but Brandon Allen didn't tag up on a fly ball to center, instead leaving with contact and he had to go back to third when the ball was caught. Davidson was walked intentionally and Drager fanned the next batter to end the threat.
"He just had a brain fart," Jim Andrews said. "He just panicked. I had just got through talking to him. I'm screaming 'Get back, get back."
Wilfert led Carson hitting attack with a double and two singles, Shane Andrews added two hits and Pongasi stroked a solo homer and double. Meyer also contributed a triple.
SOUTH TAHOE 2, CARSON 1
Logan Brewer's single with two outs in the bottom of the sixth scored the go-ahead run, spoiling a four-hit pitching gem by John Holton.
Jordan Switzer led off the inning with a single, and after a strikeout, Mason Cain reached on an error. Jason Rutger sacrificed the runners to second and third, setting the stage for Brewer's hit.
Holton fanned 10 and didn't walk a batter in his best post-season outing.
Andrew Aquino picked up the mound win for South Tahoe, allowing three hits and only one from the second inning on. He helped his own cause with a solo homer which tied the game at 1 in the fifth inning.
Holton led Carson's offense with two hits and Conner Pradere added one.