sports CORRESPONDENT

Timely hitting and solid defense enabled perennial District 1 powerhouse Mill Creek to register a 6-2 verdict against District 7's battling South Highline Nationals at the 2005 Washington State Little League Majors (11-12 age) tournament hosted by District 10 on Tuesday, July 26.

With the loss, Highline's expedition at Sunset Park finally ended.

"This group of kids matured way beyond last year," commented SHN manager Randy Potter. "Last year (at the age 11 state tournament) that team totally destroyed us. Today we battled and were right there with them. It was a fun run."

Playing with intense determination, District 7 South Highline struck in the home half of the first inning.

Austin Merrell and Josh Potter opened with consecutive singles. Both runners later advanced one base each on a passed ball before the next batter struck out.

Kevin Smith drew a walk and Taylor Goucher hit a high, bouncing grounder that hopped way over the shortstop's head for a run-scoring single and a 1-0 District 7 lead. Moments later, Lance Colley's ground out gave SHN a 2-0 lead heading into the second inning.

Highline's offense was then muffled until the fifth inning.

Including the final two outs of the first inning, Mill Creek pitcher Brett Kingma retired 11 consecutive National batters.

For the visitors, Mill Creek wasted two hits in the first inning, but began limbering-up its own field artillery in the second inning. Two hits and a wild pitch trimmed the South Highline margin to 2-1.

In the third inning, Mill Creek notched three runs on the strength of a leadoff home run. Following an infield single, an infield throwing error set up Mill Creek to score two additional runs and lead 4-2.

South Highline National ended its 11-batter hitting drought when Blake Weber began the fifth inning with a single and was replaced by special pinch runner Tyler Phelps. Jesus Esqueda's single put two runners on base. However, a strikeout, followed by two ground outs, killed the threat.

Mill Creek connected for two runs on three hits in the sixth ahead of a 1-2-3 out final National at bat.

"We played with pride," stated Josh Potter. "Our bats just weren't working."

A big effort simply fell short against an indomitatble opponent.

"We didn't back down," said manager Potter.

The chronicles of the SHN boys of summer ended on the field of Sunset Park, but the experiences spoke volumes.

"It wasn't fun to lose this game, but we enjoyed being here," Esqueda said. "Having a team party in the park was fun."

Taylor Goucher's solid pitching intertwined with South Highline National's burgeoning bats in an 11-0, five-inning, loser-out knockout win over District 11's Burlington-Edison on Monday to keep the Nationals alive until Tuesday.

"I like to get ahead in the count," said Goucher. "It sets up my curve ball. My uncle told me to spin it more."

For the game, Goucher spun a three-hitter with eight strikeouts, allowing only one walk.

"When you get him a few runs, he settles down and gets confidence," said SHN assistant coach Bob Goucher.

Pitcher Goucher had such strong control that Burlington-Edison produced only one serious scoring threat against the Nationals.

In the second inning District 11's B-E perched runners on second and third by way of a walk and a double with two outs. On the deep double, quick fielding in the South Highline outfield produced a strong throw to the infield, holding the lead runner on third base. The next batter grounded out to shortstop.

Like legendary heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier, National "came out smokin'" in the first inning.

Leadoff batter Austin Merrell reached second base on a throwing error. Josh Potter bounced a grounder that resulted in the infielder throwing too late to nab the runner racing into third base.

One strikeout later, Smith slammed a single for a 1-0 lead. Taylor Goucher grounded into a fielder's choice out for the second run.

Esqueda led off with a single in the second. Potter reached base on a one-out walk before Tyler Freeburg singled to load the bases.

Goucher's one out walk forced in a run to make the score 3-0.

Padding its lead to 4-0 on a third inning run, South Highline National fired up the fireworks in the fourth.

Freeberg's two-run homer shot to left field combined with Andrew Dunn's right field home run to double the Highline dominance to 8-0 with no outs.

Freeberg hoisted a three run homer over the center field fence to mercifully close out the one-sided game on the 10-run rule.

Freeberg's 3-for-4 with five runs batted in topped the Normandy Park charter's hitting.

"I like low pitches and turned on those home runs," he said.

Dunn batter 2-for-3 including two runs batted in. His home run to right was unusual for him.

"I never really hit one out to right because I normally hit inside pitches," Dunn explained. "I just got on a high outside pich. I never knew it was going out."

In Sunday's opening game 13-2 loss to Disrict 9's Snoqualmie Valley, a promising start turned into disaster.

An opening walk to Potter along with singles by Freeberg and Smith led to one run being scored by Potter on a wild pitch and another run crossing home on Goucher's run-scoring single. More scoring beckoned, but the runners were thrown out trying to advance.

After that inning, South Highline could only add singles by Potter and Freeberg in the third plus Goucher's fourth inning single. A seven-run Snoqualmie outburst on extra base hits ended the game in the fifth inning.

"We ran into a good team today," remarked manager Potter. "We made some mistakes, but they just flat out hit the ball. I thought I had options (different pitching styles and left or right-handed throwers for every batter. Their batters from 1-9 all hit. Every team here is battle tested."

Freeberg led the Nationals with a 2-for-2 day. Despite the rough start, Rutter expected his forces to regroup for the second game. "The attitudes are still good. We'll come back," he predicted.

PacWest is led by manager Mario Santini along with coaches Roger Gee and Bill Evans.

Players are Dylan Hoglund, Jeremy Evans, Jonny Locher, Nate Owen, Ben Harrison, Malone Utley, Cooper Gee, Logan Brikell, Daurin Miller, Nate Conners, Dylan Ross, Caleb Ramirez and Jeffrey Kempt.

Mike Wydick is the charter president.

The District 7 champion National coaching staff is manager Randy Potter, coach Bob Goucher and coach Troy Phelps.

Players are Austin Merrell, Josh Potter, Tyler Freeburg, Kevin Smith, Taylor Goucher, Lance Colley, Andrew Dunn, Blake Weber, Jesus Esqueda, Connor Phelps and Jim Leeds.

Mark Freeburg is the charter president. The District 7 administrator is Duane Young.