The 11-year-old Turlock American All-Stars shutout the Turlock Nationals, 10-0, in a four inning mercy-rule victory to take the District 73 All-Star championship game on Saturday at Julien field.

After winning a tight semi-final contest, 6-5, at Los Banos on Friday, the National squad had to turn around and face their cross-town rivals, with a disappointing finish.

“We came up just short after coming from behind to beat Los Banos and get here,” National All-Star head coach Robert Tury said. “The Americans' pitching shut us down but our kids never gave up; they did the best they could.”

“The National team battled, they are very good and we are grateful and fortunate enough to have beaten a good team,” American All-Star head coach Steve Abrams said. “Today was Matt Livingston’s day though and he showed who he was, he was around the plate all day and the defense played great baseball.”

Livingston was sensational on the mound as he started and tossed up four shutout innings, allowed no runs, walked two and struck out four. His hot bat added a double and single as he went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs.

Jake Abrams capped a four-run second after hitting an RBI single to score Ryan Leonesio and make it 5-0. In the third, the hot offense continued after Andy Owen smacked an RBI single to drive in Silas Fredeen for the sixth run. Leonesio followed as he drove in Govea after an RBI sacrifice. Livingston’s RBI double scored Owen for the eighth run. The final two runs came after Abrams’ hit an RBI double to score Livingston and Denzel Steckwren’s RBI double scored Abrams for the 10th and final run.

“Discipline hitting and confidence in their swings helped us win, the kids were up for the challenge and they came to play,” Abrams said. “I am happy for the kids themselves; they battled it out all summer in this high temperature weather during their summer. I tip my hat off to the parents and the kids' commitment.”

Next for the 11-year-old squad is sections which begins at 7 p.m. Sunday at Soderquist Park.