Carson seniors win, advance to Western Regionals

Carson City's Senior Little League all-stars punched their ticket to the Western Regionals by knocking off Mountain Ridge 19-5 Tuesday night in 4 1/2 innings to sweep the best-of-three series.

Carson City will now travel to Ontario and start play down in Southern California early next week. It will be the first regional trip for Carson since the early 90s.

Carson manager Steve Weldy said his team won't have a lot of time to savor its championship.

"We'll get in some hitting practice and go from there," Weldy said."I don't even know if we're driving or flying. Nobody has told me anything yet."

Carson waited for the final three innings to get untracked in the series opener on Monday. The locals didn't wait that long last night, scoring six in the second, eight in the third and five in the fourth.

Carson broke the scoreless tie as Hunter Wilford drilled a two-run triple while Derek Encinas doubled home a run and Nate Cotrones singled home a run. Carson also was helped by an error, a walk and a hit batsman.

Seamus Burns, who worked the first four innings, allowed three singles in the third. Clint Ferguson drove in the run with a two-out hit.

Carson put the game out of reach with eight runs on four hits, three walks and an error to take a 14-1 lead. Noah Texeira drilled a two-run ground-rule double, while Zac Harjes doubled home two runs and Josiah Pongassi singled home a run.

"Josiah is one of the toughest hitters," Weldy said. "He and Zac could carry a team on their backs."

Chris Hunter singled home a run to make it 14-2, but Carson answered again with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Harjes tripled in three runs, while Ryan Doherty and Teixeira also had run-scoring singles. Teixeira led Carson with a perfect 4-for-4 day.

JUNIORS REACH TITLE GAME

The Carson junior scored 11 times in the first inning en route to a mercy rule victory over Paseo Verde at Governors Field.

The win sends Carson into the championship Thursday at 5:30. Paseo Verde and Peccole, a 17-3 winner over Siverada, will play tonight at 5:30 in an elimination game.

After opening the first with an out, 12 straight Carson hitters reached base, six on walks, two on errors and four on hits. All told, Carson sent 15 hitters to the plate. Connor Leahy singled home two runs and Jace Keema doubled home two runs. Leahy had two hits in the inning.

In the second, John Collins had a run-scoring single, Leahy hit a sacrifice fly and an error allowed the third run to score.

Geo Ramirez and winning pitcher P.J. White had run-scoring singles while Jordan Anderson doubled home a run. Carson also took advantage of five walks and a hit batsman in the inning.

White allowed just two hits and walked just one in setting down Paseo Verde. He threw his off-speed stuff for strikes all night.

Carson, being the only undefeated team in the tournament thus far, would have to lose twice on Thursday to be denied a trip to the Western Regionals in Washington.

NOTES: Carson City Little League is looking for financial help to send its senior and possible junior team on to regional play. Any person or business interested in helping should contact Craig "Bear" Stevens at 775-315-6984 or bearden45@sbcglobal.net.