South Highline National won the District 7 age 10-11 Little League baseball tournament in thrilling fashion Wednesday, scoring in the bottom of the sixth and final inning to beat a fiesty PacWest team by a 9-8 score.
Jace Pigg knocked in the winning run for the Nationals in what was the second if-necessary championship game.
PacWest had won the provisional championship game, 11-3, the day before coming out of the loser's bracket to force the second game.
Larry Siler of PacWest launched a three-run home run over the fence in right center in the top of the third for the big hit in that game, after Dylan Shaw and Josh Encisco both doubled in a six-run second inning. PacWest scored its other two runs in the first on singles by Enciso, Siler and Adrian Brown.
As the District 7 champion, South Highline National will advance to the state tournament starting Saturday, July 14 at Freedom Field in Mill Creek.
The Nationals had opened with a 7-2 win over Seattle Central before edging PacWest, 6-5, in the winner's bracket final to get a quick ticket to the championship game against PacWest.
PacWest pounded West Seattle, 16-2, in its opener before losing to South Highline National, 6-5. PacWest then outlasted West Seattle, 10-7, in seven innings before facing South Highline National in the final two duels. West Seattle had rebounded from its opening loss to PacWest to beat Seattle Central, 16-8, in consolation play to earn the right to play PacWest in the loser's bracket final.
Players for the Nationals under manager Tim Fenster and coaches Chad Allred and Curt Killstrom are Andrew Dalton, Cablib Dierda, Ethan Chabot, Jace Pigg, Jack Fenster, Joseph Allred, Joshua Willott, Ryan Bigelow, Theo Covich and Tyler Kilstrom.
PacWest was managed by Paul Kemp with Steve McLean serving as coach. Players are Adrian Brown, Josh Enciso, Noah Gordon, Nick Joyal, John Kemp, Victory Lopez, Mark McLean, Carden Sadettan, Dylan Shaw, Larry Siler and Ethan Weets.
Juniors
PacWest pummeled Rainier District, 23-1, to claim the Juniors age 13 championship the morning of Wednesday, July 4.
No second game was necessary, since PacWest came into the final game undefeated.
PacWest beat Renton to open and then downed Rainier District in the winner's bracket final.
Rainier District opened with a win over South Highline National before losing to PacWest and then recovering to win the loser's bracket final, 12-1, over National. The Nationals defeated Renton to get to that game.
As the Juniors champion, PacWest will travel to Art Mikelsen Field in Port Orchard to play in the state tournament starting Saturday, July 14.
PacWest's Juniors team was managed by John Domenowske, who had Jason Welcome and Carl Stacy as his coaches.
Players for PacWest are Tre Bailey, Nick Dammeier, Jake Green, Nathan Gordon, Joey Hengtgen, Jacob Hines, Ryan Hinton, Matthew Horejsi, Jonathan Pashby, Danny Perkins, Christian Stacy, Marcus Villanueva and Jordan Welcome.
