Sparked by three-run home runs off the bats of Pete White and Brett McMillan, the Carson Capitols swept both ends of their summer baseball doubleheader against El Dorado American Legion Post 119, winning 13-9 and 11-2 on Sunday afternoon.
White's home run highlighted an eight-run third inning rally and put the Capitol 15 to 19 year olds on track to their come-from-behind win. And McMillan's three-run shot over the right field fence in the bottom of the first inning erased a 2-0 deficit as the Caps completed a sweep of the four-game series against El Dorado (Placerville, Calif.) at Carson High School's Ron McNutt Field.
Joe Mercer, an all-conference catcher for Carson High School this spring, hit 4-for-4 and scored three runs in the opener. Dustin Hahn went 3-for-3 with his second home run in as many days. Anthony Carano and White collected two hits each and Dustin Pedroia homered to lead off the Capitols' first inning.
Pat Reilly, who helped Bishop Manogue High School win the Nevada 3A state title this spring, pitched four innings to pick up the win.
El Dorado took a 6-2 lead by scoring six runs in the second inning, highlighted by Mitch Rudnick's grand-slam home run.
The Caps answered with eight runs in the third. Mercer, McMillan, Hahn and Jon Fender connected for successive singles to set the stage for White's three-run blast to right-center.
White is a 1999 Galena High School graduate who spent this past season at UNLV, but has indicated he will transfer to Nevada.
In game two, El Dorado took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, only to see McMillan answer with his three-run shot in the bottom half of the inning.
The Caps added two more runs in the second thanks to RBI singles from Billy Paganetti and McMillan. Brian Kleidosty's two-run single in the fourth gave the Caps an 8-2 lead.
Fender and Kevin Jepsen combined to pitch a seven-hitter in the winning cause. Fender worked five innings to earn the win.
Rusty Miller went 3-for-4 to lead the Capitols' 16-hit attack. McMillan was 2-for-5 with four RBIs, Hahn was 2-for-3 with a double and Kleidosty 2-for-3. Paganetti, who played in the Kelley Baseball Junior Showcase Sunday morning in Reno, hit 2-for-5 with a double.
The Caps will be back at home to play a three-game series against the Danville Hoots with an 8 p.m. single game on Friday and a 5 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday. The Hoots are traditionally one of California's top American Legion teams - pitcher Mateo Miramontes has signed a letter-of-intent with the University of Nevada.
