AUBURN - Once their pitchers were securely settled in, the District VII Pac West All-Stars were ready to rally.

Kayla Siler and Timothy Brodigan combined for a five-hitter to serve up a 4-2 victory against District V Walla Walla Pacific in opening round action of the 2012 Washington State Little League Baseball 9-10 age tournament on Saturday at GSA Park.

District VII qualified for a winners bracket match up against District III Chehalis at noon Sunday but lost that game, 15-5.

Siler surrendered only one run on three hits in 3 2/3 innings of pitching against Walla Walla while Brodgigan brought his best in allowing one run on two hits in his 2 1/3 innings on the mound. After Siler lasted for 48 pitches, Brodigan closed out with 39 pitches to save the win.

Pac West manager Roger Patten was pleased with the win but looked ahead for more production from his hitters.

"We need to press hard for more runs," he said. "We had them on the ropes and could not put them away. Each inning, we wanted to put pressure on them. You can't give good teams opportunities."

Fortunately for PW, its mound staff held Walla Walla Pacific in check for the most part while the hitters were able to transport enough runs home to win.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, the Pac West All-Stars retaliated.

With one out, Brodigan punched a single through the right side of the infield. Trenton Brown then pulled a two-base single to right field, setting up runners on first and third. Jeremiah Judd tied the game with a sacrifice fly RBI to left field.

Pac West took the lead for good in the bottom of the second inning. Tre Harshman stroked a single to right field ahead of a Jordan Aycox line single that zipped past the third baseman's right shoulder. Two consecutive strikeouts later, Blaine Patten drew a walk on a 3-2 count to load the bases. Brodigan patiently looked for pitch to drive, but settled for a run-scoring walk that sent District VII into 2-1 lead.

"It was good to get the lead, but I was disappointed in a way because I wanted to hit," said Brodigan.

Siler struck out the first Walla Walla Pacific batter in the fourth inning before Brodigan came on in relief to strike out two batters around a single.

For Siler,a quick-breaking, hard curve ball and a fast ball set her in motion to powerfully paint the outside and inside edges of home plate.

"I just tried hard to hit the corners," she stated. "It felt good."

Two out lightning strikes padded Pac West's lead. Catcher interference and an infield bobble set District VII up with runners on first and second. Trenton Brown's opposite field single to left field chased home a run ahead of a walk to Jeremiah Judd. It was Siler who came through by chopping a run-scoring single through the middle. Although the next runner was thrown out attempting to score on the play, Pac West now had a 4-1 margin to maintain.

Walla Walla put on strong pressure by advancing runners as far as second base in the fifth inning and by starting quickly in the sixth inning.

Becker Saltmarsh drove a double over the Pac West left fielder's head from the leadoff spot. First baseman Aycox made a nice scooping catch of a throw from third baseman Jeremiah Judd to register the first out. Next came a swing bunt single followed by a sacrifice bunt that scored a WWP run. Brodigan induced the next batter into a ground out to send Pac West into the next round of the winners bracket.

"I was a little nervous, but I just kept trying and trying and trying," Brodigan said. "Coach told me at the end to throw the curve ball."

Majors softball

The District 7 all-star softball team bowed out of the Majors state tournament in Kirkland in two games.
Gig Harbor dealt District 7 a 20-0 defeat Sunday, July 8 and SVN/FAL/SNO (District 9) eliminated the team by a 12-0 score Monday, July 9.

Junior softball

District 7's Junior softball team took a 19-7 loss to Evergreen in LaCenter Saturday but rebounded for a 19-9 victory over Battle Ground Sunday.

10-11 baseball

South Highline National was edged, 4-3, by Cascade as it opened its tournament in Mill Creek this past Sunday.

Junior baseball

Pac West's Juniors team journeyed to Port Orchard Sunday and took a 6-2 tournament opening loss to Upper Valley.