SOUTH LAKE TAHOE " Douglas High didn't forget a key loss to South Tahoe pitcher Max DeLallo in its quest to win the Sierra Division baseball title last year.
Facing DeLallo again with the Sierra Division crown within grasp Friday, the Tigers didn't allow the Vikings' ace to repeat the performance.
The Tigers nicked DeLallo for four runs in the first three innings and then rode the strong pitching of left-hander Tyler Hoelzen to a 5-1 victory on a rainy afternoon at Todd Fields.
The win pulled Douglas (12-3) within one game of first-place Carson (13-2) heading into this week's showdown between the schools for the league championship.
"It's always fun playing against your rival, whether it's for a league title or not, but this adds to it," Hoelzen said.
"That's why you play high school baseball, to get an opportunity to win a league championship against your rival," said Douglas coach John Glover, whose team finished second to Reno last year after winning the title in 2007.
CHS SWEEPS FALLON
The Carson High JV softball team swept Fallon 11-4 and 13-1 Saturday afternoon.
In the opener, Christa McGahuey allowed only one hit through five innings and drove in three runs with three hits.
Taylor-Rae Canfield and Emily Collins collected two hits and two RBI each, while Ali Vondrak and Caitlin Sinclair drove in two runs apiece. Morgan Kleine also collected two hits.
In the second game, Christine Gallegos struck out eight and allowed just four hits.
McGahuey collected two hits and drove in four runs, while Morgan McEwan collected two hits and drove in three runs. Sinclair added three hits and two RBI. Collins, Kleine and Canfield all had two hits.
Carson is 26-4 veral and 17-0 in league.