Pitching, defense, clutch base hits and a close score - all the elements of a great baseball game - were evident Sunday afternoon when Washoe turned back Carson National 2-1 during District I Little League 11-year-old all-star tournament play in Sparks.
Washoe's Drew Anderson pitched a complete game two-hitter to outduel Carson's Josh Gogna, who pitched a three-hitter, in a contest that ended on a long fly ball with two Carson runners on base in the bottom of the sixth inning at Shadow Mountain Sports Complex.
"That was one of the best baseball games I've ever seen or ever been a part of," Carson National manager Chris Petersen said. "It was an unbelievable game. Our kids played their hearts out."
Pitching was certainly a highlight.
"Who would expect one pitcher to throw a two-hitter and the other a three-hitter?" Petersen said. "They went back and forth. They got a standing ovation from the crowd afterward.
Washoe scored one run in the top of the sixth to take a 2-0 lead that may have seemed comfortable with Anderson working on a perfect game.
But Carson rallied in its final at-bat.
With one out, Jacob Meyers doubled to give Carson its first base runner. Jason Deterding advanced the runner with a ground ball out, then Daniel Okimura was hit by a pitch to put runners at the corners. Rory Petersen drove the run home when he reached on an infield base hit to deep shortstop. But then the rally ended when Max Keller hit a long fly ball that was caught in left field for the third out.
Carson benefited from some sterling defense, according to Petersen.
"They had base runners, but we made some unbelievable defensive plays in key situations," the manager said.
One of those came in the fifth when a Washoe base runner attempted to advance to third base on a throw from the outfield, but Carson catcher Jace Carlson retrieved the ball and threw a strike to Rory Petersen at third for the out.
Petersen was involved in three other plays at third, including a 5-4-3 double play he started in the fourth. Okimura was the second baseman and Keller the first baseman on that play.
Also for Carson, Andrew Mercer made a long running catch of a fly ball in right center and Ty Welch made a catch in center field.
Carson, now 1-2 in the tournament, plays again today at 8 p.m. against Sparks Centennial at Shadow Mountain.
The Carson American 11-year-olds will put their 2-0 tournament record on the line today at 5:30 p.m. against Sparks National.
9-10 YEAR OLDS
David Yamamoto rang up 15 strikeouts for the Carson American 9-10 year-olds in an 11-3 victory against North Tahoe on Saturday at Shadow Mountain. Yamamoto helped his own cause with two hits and Ben Albritton had two hits for Carson.
On Sunday, Paul McCarthy hit 2-for-3 while Davis Osborne tripled and Yamamoto doubled for Carson American in a 7-5 loss against Sparks Nation.
