South Highline National came to play, but so did their foe, West Seattle, who survived the back-and-forth affair best in an 8-7 win of the Little League District 7 All Stars 9-10s Minors Tournament championship at Pacwest Fields June 28.

So, a loss for SHN, a tough loss that should not have been so tough to take, however, because any team could have won this one. West Seattle just did, and will now represent District 7 at the state tournament for 9-10s in Vancouver, Wash. starting July 19.

So, a lot lost, but this kind of game mentally will make this team stronger for the future and this group likely will have a lot of its cast together for 9-10s next year (five return) as well as the 10-11s group and then again as Majors, which is the 11-12 age group.

So there is a lot to look forward to for this team despite this really close loss.

"Can't be disappointed about that game," said Armond Swanson II, the SHN manager. "They fought hard. I am proud of each and every one of them."

Swanson II also asked to have his wife and coach Dave Galando's wife thrown in so every one knew each of them was important.

"Our wives are important to us, too. They let us play a little longer past the season," said Swanson II.

This game was close to going a second game of the championship, going to the "if necessary" game. But as it came down to the top of the sixth inning for SHN to try and get one run back, trailing, 8-7, and going into it, they just couldn't quite do it.

But let's back track further to the third inning that followed a good first inning for SHN of three runs on three hits, with Galando, Armond Swanson III and Jared Scott singling consecutively and Bryce Pulver also in on that action. So, West Seattle trailing, 3-0, going into the bottom of the first, scored two runs to make it a 3-2 SHN lead. In the bottom of the second, West Seattle scored on a couple singles followed by a three-run home run for a 5-3 lead.

Pulver then singled in the top of third, and Austin Procter's RBI single made it a 5-4 game. Then Conor Davidson's perfect bunt led to a West Seattle error in a pickle of Procter, and he scored to tie it at 5-5.

So, that set the stage for the real fireworks of intensity that had to have both sides biting their nails.

Evan Galando, who came in for the starter in a relief role, allowed only one run in the bottom of the third inning, barely. Going against the West Seattle manager's sharp, savvy ballplayer, Jeff Kasahara, with the bases loaded, Galando threw good, smart pitches -- strikes and balls -- to get it to a full count, 3-2, on likely West Seattle's best singles hitter.

Then, tied at this time in the game in the third, Galando, with no place to put Kasahara, had to come in with a strike.

Ball four.

It was one of those perfectly placed pitches, it looked it anyway. Kasahara was frozen at the plate, until the umpire said, "take your base."

Now it was 6-5.

"I put the ball on the outside corner," said Galando, about the shortest player on the team though one of the oldest players. He was one of the best out there, too. He made a great pitch there, too, but, like life, it wouldn't seem fair.

"It was a strike," said Galando, not bitter sounding, in fact, just the opposite. He was smiling and simply stating his case.

But the gavel had been thrown and it was a run, an important run, since West Seattle would win this one by just one run.

South Highline National came back and scored a run right after that, in the top of the fourth. Galando got on base via a pitcher's fielding error, plus Galando's speed running to first likely made the pitcher mess up getting a ball. Then Scott hit a sacrifice grounder that moved Galando to home, after Galando had stole second and third base with his fastest-on-the-team speed. So, it was a tie ball game, 6-6.

In the bottom of the fourth, West Seattle scored on a walk and single to make it 7-6. And, in the top of the fifth, West Seattle scored again, off a leadoff Alec Burke triple and a Pulver RBI double and it was tied again at 7-7.

Proving their competitiveness and mettle, West Seattle scored again on a double from Kasahara and a RBI double to make it 8-7, West Seattle.

The score nearly became tied a fourth time in the game, but no, as a good, fast Armond Swanson III beat out a close play at first base to start the South Highline National top of the sixth -- their last ups to do something to keep this game going and keep their season going. Then a shortstop to second base force-out fielder's choice of Swanson came. Then a Nate Fisher single followed and new hope replaced coming doubt. Runners were at first and second base.

Then, a force out again, at third base, so West Seattle had gotten the lead runner. And there were now two outs and runners still on first and second. Mathew Tarangeau came up next and his good eye seeing the ball led to a walk. Bases loaded.

Next up was Austin Procter and he bunted the ball perfect, almost. He took off for first base as the ball dribbled and rolled out in front of home plate 10 feet. The pitcher could not get to it in time as Swanson on a triple headed home to try and tie the game. Just as Swanson was to touch home plate, so, too was West Seattle's catcher sprinting a foot there. Bang-bang. And the first bang was the foot touch of the West Seattle catcher -- unfortunately for South Highline National, ending their season.

"Heck of a game," said coach Galando. "The 18th out is always the toughest out."

It was tough, but West Seattle got it and that ended it.

But this team will return a lot of its cast to next year's same 9-10 tournament, so it should be pretty experienced though Galando and Pulver, two of the most notable stars, will be 10. Pulver could not pitch in this game, but he threw in three games of this tournament and did well in each game.

He mentioned his son and others like Procter, Davidson, and Jared Scott, whom Swanson called the hardest hitter on the team. Procter had a hit in this game, and that almost bunt at the end of the game to potentially tie it. And Davidson, the second fastest to Galando, put down a couple nice bunts and running and looks like he will meld right in as a leadoff for this 9-10 team next year with Galando moving up to 10-11, unless he makes Majors.

SHN players are Bryce Pulver, Evan Galando, Jared Scott, Austin Procter, Mathew Taurangeau, Nate Fisher, Conor Davidson, Tyler Eaton, Armond Swanson III, Alec Burke, Brandon Jorgenson-Harshman, and Daniel Russell. The coach was Dave Galando and the manager was Armond Swanson II.