Two wins over two days totaled up to the top prize for South Highline National at the District 7 Junior Little League tournament.
The Nationals topped Rainier District, 7-3, on Friday, July 8 in the first championship game, then needed another win in a 10 a.m. Saturday, July 9 if necessary game -- and got it in the form of a come-from-behind 17-10 win. That set National up for a 3 p.m. Saturday, July 16 state date in Arlington against the District 2 winner.
"We lost early in the tournament and came back," said South Highline National manager Grady Weckhorst of the action at the Rainier Playfield in the Rainier Valley area of Seattle. "We've had a good series with Rainier all year long. The kids were hungrier and just wanted to take it."
Weckhorst did not even look at the state tournament bracket until after the trip was in hand.
"Now I can look at the brackets, or I will when I get home," said Weckhorst.
Rainier jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the final game and the Nationals scored three for a 3-2 lead in the bottom half of the frame.
Evan Galando and Caleb Swift both hit singles with one out, and a fielder's choice grounder by Alex Metros left runners on first and second.
But Christian Pham slammed a double to left, scoring Swift and pushing Metros to third. Peter-Paul Swaab singled in both Pham and Metros.
National upped its lead to 4-0 in the third when Metros walked, stole second and scored on a base hit by Pham.
Rainier answered in a big way in the top of the fourth and fifth -- scoring four runs each inning for a sudden 10-4 lead.
The Nationals showed no signs of quitting, however, racking up five runs in the bottom of the fifth to close the gap to 10-9.
Metros walked, advanced on a sacrifice fly and scored on a base hit by Swaab. Anthony DeMarre followed with a walk and Gunnar Thompson singled in two, then advanced on an ensuing error on the play. Justin Helmbreck then walked and stole second, going to third on a base hit by Canon Westland. A walk by Swift reloaded the bases and Metros was hit by a pitch to force in another run.
South Highline National took care of the remaining one-run deficit in a hurry in the bottom of the sixth, putting together an eight-run rally.
Swaab and DeMarre walked to start it off, then Thompson singled to load the bases for Helmbreck, who ripped a two-run single down the third base line.
Westland singled Helmbeck over to third and Galando walked to re-load the bases. A single by Swift and a walk by Metros forced in two more runs. Pham brought in Galando on an infield fly rule ball that dropped in. DeMarre capped off the rally with a two-run single.
Swift shut Rainier down in the top of the seventh to clinch the win, much to the surprise of many.
"You know that Rainier always has good teams with a lot of heart," Weckhorst said.
Friday South Highline National got off to a four-run lead in the first. Westland, Galando and Metros all walked and Pham singled before DeMarre cleared the bases with a double to left.
Rainier scored one run each in the first, fourth and fifth to close the gap to 4-3 before SHN scored one in the fourth and three in the sixth. Galando singled and scored in the fourth, then Metros and Pham walked and Metros scored on a fielder's choice grounder by Swaab in the sixth. DeMarre singled in one more run.
Westland took the mound in relief to clinch the win. He retired all six batters he faced, striking out two.
