The Sparks Babe Ruth all-stars saw their summer season come to an end Thursday night at Lampe Park in Gardnerville. Sparks suffered a 12-4 losers’ bracket loss to Reno West at the 14-year-old State Babe Ruth Tournament.

The loss was the second of the tournament for Sparks, which had beaten Reno West 8-1 in its tourney opener five days earlier, eliminating it from contention.

Reno West got five first-inning runs and tacked on four more in the second, building a 9-0 lead after two innings.

“It was over before it got started,” Sparks coach John Pinto said. “They just hit the ball. They put the ball in play and we didn’t make any plays.”

Sparks could not get much going offensively until the final innings. The local club scratched out a trio of runs in the fifth frame. Sparks loaded the bases in the sixth but could not score in the inning. It then added its final run in the seventh, but it was too little too late.

Pinto said Reno West pitcher Austin Ackerson turned in a complete-game gem, saying he pitched a “brilliant game.”

Jonathan Pinto and Joey Dice both rapped out two hits in four plate appearances for Sparks.

Reno West advances to play South Reno today at 6 p.m. The loser is done but the winner stays alive and moves on to face Carson City in the championship Saturday at 1 p.m.