When Sparks Centennial opened Sunday's game with four straight hits - including a 3-run homer, it looked like it was going to be a long night for the Carson 11-12 all-stars.
Carson, however, wasn't having any of it, as the all-stars battled back to take a 14-11 win in the consolation bracket of the District 1 Little League tournament.
Carson roared back with four hits of its own in the bottom of the first. The four hits, combine with two Sparks' errors allowed Carson to take a 6-3 lead after the first inning.
Kyle Glanzmann led off the inning with a single. Glanzmann scored on Brandon Gagnon's double. Gagnon went to third on the throw and scored when Abel Carter reached on an error.
Ethan Good cleared the bases with a mammoth two-run homer. Carson would add two more before the 27-minute first inning came to an end.
In the bottom of the second, Carson would add another run for a 7-3 lead. The run came when Glanzmann singled and scored on Good's double.
In the third, Sparks cut the lead to 7-5 by scoring two runs on five hits.
Carson would add another run in the third when Jayson Artz singled to lead off the inning. He moved to second on Jerry Thomas' single. After both runners moved up a base thanks to Jonny Randall's sacrifice bunt, Artz would scored on a wild pitch for Carson's eighth run.
Carson appeared to put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth inning when it scored three runs on four hits.
Gagnon led off with an infield hit. Carter singled, and Good did the rest. He hit his second home run of the night, this one a three-run shot, giving Carson an 11-5 lead.
Sparks wasn't willing to give up. With two outs in the top of the fifth, the Centennial all-stars scored four runs on five hits and a hit-batter. The runs cut the lead to 11-9.
Carson added the winning runs in the bottom of the fifth. Carson scored three runs on five hits. Jerry Thomas' two-run double was the big hit of the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Glanzmann gave up a two-run homer, but was able to get the final two outs and preserve the win for Carson.
Glanzmann pitched a complete game for Carson who was without many of its other pitchers due to Little League pitch count rules.
Carson plays Reno American at 7:30 p.m. today.
The winner will play Reno National on Tuesday in the consolation bracket title game.
