The Carson Sharks 12 and under softball team went down to the wire with Fallon for the title at the National Softball Assocation State Championships held last weekend at Edmonds Sports Complex.
The Sharks lost two-of-three to Fallon to place second to Fallon, but still qualified for the NSA National Championships in the process.
In the championship round, Carson played outstanding defense on its way to beating Fallon 4-3 to force one more game. The Sharks won it in eight innings on Alyssa Owens' game-winning hit.
After Emily Tobias reached on a bunt single and Melissa Wilson walked, Owens scored Taylor Kerr with her game-winning hit. Cassie Vondrak went the distance, striking out 12 for the win.
Kerr and Owens each had two hits and two RBI and Vondrak and Tami Conn each had two hits.
In the final game, Fallon scored in the sixth inning for a 4-3 win. Carson took a 1-0 lead in the first on Kerr's RBI double before Fallon scored three runs in the fifth.
The Sharks came back to tie the game 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth on Owens' two-run double. Vondrak pitched a three-hitter, striking out 10.
After losing to Fallon 3-0, Carson reached the championship round by beating Reno Fast Pitch 7-1. Katie McEwan broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth with a two-run triple. Vondrak pitched a two-hitter, striking out 10.
Carson opened with a 5-3 win over the Douglas Hurricanes and an 11-2 victory over Winnemucca. Kerr, Owens and Vondrak made the all-tournament team.
For the tournament, Kerr hit .600, Vondrak hit .575 and Conn and Thera Frank each hit .500. Vondrak pitched all six games as Carson went 4-2. The Sharks are 20-7-1 heading into the Sparks Summer Sizzler this weekend.
