Strikkers 1B Lesley Stauffergreen tags out Erica Wieck of the Starz. Wieck was pinch running for Lindsy Dickerson who had singled. Smedes photo.

SPARKS, NV-After some early-inning miss fires, Nor Cal Elite of Fairfield, CA, finally got the jump-start it was looking for, and then took a 4-1 win over host Nevada Lightning in the 18 and under division of the Nevada Lightning Summer Sizzler, played July 15-16 at the Shadow Mountain Complex. Elite finished a perfect 6-0, going 3-0 in Sunday’s single-elimination round.

Nor Cal loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first, before Nevada got the second out on a one-hopper back to the pitcher, and the third out on a fly to center. The bottom of the second was no more successful for the eventual champions as they got a lead-off runner to second, but again couldn’t capitalize.

Nor Cal scored its first run in the bottom of the third on a Lightning infield error, then loaded the bases with one out on a fielder’s choice that Nevada couldn’t turn into the second out. Cristan Weihe then delivered what turned out to be the winning hit, a two-run single.

Nor Cal finished its scoring with one more run in the fourth, but left the bases loaded. Nevada scored its only run in the top of the fifth.

"I can’t say enough about going 6-0. I’m real proud of our pitchers," said Nor Cal manager Bob Cameron. "Offensively, we hit the ball real well."

"It was a fun weekend for us," he added. This was the tenth straight year the team has played in the tournament."

"We kind of fizzled a little bit. It was our fourth game today," lamented Lightning manager Jim Miller. The team finished with a 5-2 record. Lightning played the extra game on Sunday because Elite entered the round as the number one seed after Saturday’s pool play. Nevada was the number three seed.

Part of the reason for Nevada’s demise in the championship was leaving too many runners on base.

"I think we left seven or eight runners on base," Miller said. Three of those runners came in the top of the second, when the team loaded the bases on two singles sandwiched between a Nor Cal infield error. Elite got out of the jam with no runs scored.

Nor Cal also came up with several defensive gems, including a diving stop by the shortstop on a hard-hit ground ball up the middle that ended the game.

Nor Cal advanced to the title game with a 9-1 decision, while Lightning took a 6-1 win in the other semi-final game. Twelve teams competed in the division.

Nevada Lightning’s 16-under team did win that division’s title, though, taking a 5-3 victory over R&R Running Rebels from the Stockton, CA, area. Lightning entered the single elimination round as the top seed. R&R was the number two seed.

Other local teams in the 16-under bracket were the Nevada Wildcats, who were 1-1 in Sunday’s round, after earning the number four seed, the Carson Comets of Carson City, NV, and the Bruins from Sparks. Fourteen teams competed, including the Waipahi Athletic Club from Hawaii.

The ten-team 14 and under division title went to Nor Cal Elite, Sunday’s number one seed. They beat Reno Heat, the number four seed. High Sierra Diamonds, the number two seed, lost to Nor Cal in one of Sunday’s semi-final games.

Five teams competed in the 12U division as the Chico Starz #2 defeated nevada Lightning 2-0. Chico entered the single-elimination round as the number two seed, and went 2-0. Lightning was the number 4 seed and posted a 2-1 record on Sunday.