The baseball struggles continued Thursday for the Spanish Springs 9-year-old Cal Ripken All-Stars. The Nevada state champions lost their third straight game in pool play at the Western Regional Tournament in Panguitch, Utah, falling 11-1 to Bingham, Utah.

Spanish Springs gave up 11 unanswered runs in the first two innings and was never really in the game Thursday.

The local all-stars pushed across their lone run in the top of the third inning of the mercy-rule shortened four-inning affair. Spanish Springs coach Todd Galati called Brett Hustad his team's player of the game. Hustad singled in the third for his team's only RBI. Cole Drescher walked earlier in the inning and raced home on Hustad's single.

Spanish Springs mounted some offense in every inning, but came up short of cashing in. The Truckee Meadows team loaded the bases in all four frames, but managed just the one run.

Galati said walks hurt his team early and he credited Bingham with some aggressive baserunning as it jumped out to the lopsided lead.

Spanish Springs gets today off from baseball action but will wrap up its tournament run Saturday against Beaver, Utah at 5:30 p.m. Galati said the team has planned an "R & R" Day at Bryce Canyon National Park with its downtime today.

"We wish we were playing but we'll make up for it and have some fun," Galati said. "I think we'll win that last one. The kids don't want to leave here without winning a game. I think we'll come out and respond pretty well; hopefully go home at least winning one."