VIDALIA — The Vidalia Nationals 11- and 12-year-old All-Stars opened up a can of offense on their American counterparts, winning 18-1 Tuesday night in the Louisiana Little League 11- and 12-year-old state tournament.

The win propelled the Nationals to the championship series against Shreveport. Game 1 starts at 6 p.m., and if Vidalia wins, Game 2 will follow immediately.

The Nationals tallied 18 runs on nine hits, five walks and one hit batsman, and three more batters reached base on errors. Coming off a night in which his team scored only two runs Monday, Nationals head coach Wesley McCarver said he was glad to see his girls swinging the bat well.

“The bats came alive tonight; we were loud on hitting and defense,” McCarver said. “The hitting really came around.”

Katlyn McCarver got the win for the Nationals, pitching two perfect innings before Emily Rascoe relieved her in the bottom of the third. Rascoe gave up a walk and a hit, and she struck out one batter. The game was called after four innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

“McCarver hit the spots we told her to hit, and it kept them off balance,” Wesley McCarver said. “It was Rascoe’s first time to pitch in the state tournament, and she did really good.”

Bailey Yates took the loss for the Vidalia Americans, going all four innings and striking out five batters. Even though the Americans finally plated a run in the bottom of the third inning, the girls were never able to get anything going against either of the Nationals’ pitchers.

“We did better late in the game, but it was too little, too late,” Americans head coach Jay Gamberi said. “The girls had a good time, though, and that’s what this is all about. I’m wishing the Nationals all the luck (tonight) against Shreveport.”

With most of the Nationals’ players more than a year older than his players, Gamberi said his girls simply ran into a more experienced team.

“The majority of our girls are 11, and the majority of their girls are now 13,” Gamberi said. “We did well considering. They definitely had the edge in experience.”

The Nationals started off by scoring four runs in the top of the first inning. Brianna Henson came home on an RBI single by Katlyn McCarver, and McCarver scored on a single by Emilee Waltman. Rasco and Waltman both scored on a wild pitch and a passed ball, respectively.

After a scoreless second inning, the Nationals added nine runs in the top of the third to take a 13-0 lead. Shelbie Vinet scored first on a passed ball, and Rascoe doubled in Katlyn McCarver. Waltman then scored on a wild pitch, Leah Havard doubled in two more runs, and Havard came home on a wild pitch.

Vinet batted again in the third, this time reaching on an error that scored Madison Johnston and Henson. Vinet rounded out the scoring by crossing home plate on a passed ball.

Yates scored the Americans’ only run of the game in the bottom of the third when she came home on a passed ball.

In the top of the fourth, the Nationals put up an additional five runs on the board. Darby Beach and Caitlyn Ballard both scored on passed balls, and Havard scored on an error. Johnston and Henson came home on a fielder’s choice.

With their attention now on Shreveport, Wesley McCarver said tonight’s matchup is going to be tough.

“They’re strong one through nine in the lineup, and they’ve got really good pitching,” Wesley McCarver said. “We’re going to have to bring our A game, because every pitch will count.”