Pac West struggled very little in winning the District 7 Little League Seniors Division All Star Tournament, beating Southwest, 15-1, in the championship at Rainier Playfield July 2 to send these 14-15 year old boys on to a close-to-home, bigger-yet contest starting July 12 at Mosier Field.

State!

“We get to go to state,” said Caleb Ramirez, who pitched well during the regular season, 4-0 as a starter, to make the all-stars under his dad, John’s, managerial leadership, but pulled a side (oblique) muscle and was held to limited duty batting with no pitching throughout all stars district play.

That was OK, because his teammates more than carried the load, starting with a 5-0 win over Renton in the team’s first game.

Ryan Lingle was the main support, pitching a two-hitter against Renton’s all stars. Lingle also was good with the bat in that one. First off, in the top of the second, teammate Luke Werle singled before Ramirez drew a walk and both were hit in by Skyler Servis to make it 2-0. Then, in the top of the fifth, Lingle singled and Werle hit him in and it was 3-0. In the top of the sixth, more good scoring action for Pac West’s Seniors came from a walk from James Hovland followed by a Brooks Allen RBI single.

“Our No. 8 and No. 9 hitters did a good job,” said Ramirez, speaking of Allen and Servis.

Continuing the offense against Renton in the top of six was a walk issued to Servis, a Garrett Bojorquez walk, and a Lingle RBI single to make it 5-0.

Lingle threw heat from the hill, striking out 14 batters while walking none.

“Ryan pitched really good in two games,” said Ramirez. Lingle pitched the win against Southwest in the championship as well.

But in the second game, talking of that win first, it was Joey Young pitching six good innings and Bojorquez pitching the seventh to close things up with an 11-4 victory. The fourth inning was a big damage inning for Pac West in that one, getting four runs on three hits, along with three walks. Young struck out 10 batters in that one. Werle had a walk in that inning, Ramirez a single and Young an RBI single.

It was a good victory for the Pac West Seniors yet again in all stars against competition from their district.

“We capitalized on some hits and knocked some guys in,” said Ramirez.

Did they ever knock some guys in and get hits because in that second game Pac West knocked out 18 hits.

The championship game was a 14-hit parade for Pac West going up against Southwest of White Center. Pacwest definitely took advantage of many walks early, five, to start out the top of the second with singles by Bojorquez and Lingle hitting runners in, plus a fielder’s choice from Young to go along with his good pitching. That offense altogether made it 6-0 and Pacwest never looked back, taking advantage of errors along the way like two in the top of the third by Southwest that led to runs then and later. The top of the fifth and sixth were the best hitting innings for Pac West, who got singles in their half of the fifth from Servis, Lingle, an RBI double, and Werle, to name most of the ontributors. And, in the sixth, Hovland singled before Allen reached base by an error in center field. Then a fielder’s choice for Bojorquez led to a Lingle RBI single, a Kasey Daw walk and Werle on base, thanks to an error in right field. Then Ramirez was hit by a pitch and the offense just rolled on for more runs, with Hovland capping it all with a single. Lingle pitched that game’s first six innings, throwing a two-hitter, with Werle coming on in relief in the seventh. Lingle had nine strikeouts.

Most of this team is comprised of two teams from the regular season, the Pac West Pirates and Pac West Dodgers. Ramirez’ Dodgers team was the champ. They won the regular season with a 11-1 record, with the one loss to the Pirates.

So, now it’s on to state.

“Got to rest up and get better for state,” said Ramirez, talking of himself and his pulled side muscle. “Still a little sore.”

Ramirez tried to remember how he hurt himself.

“I was playing hard in practice and I slid and it hurt a little after that maybe,” he said. “I really have no clue.”

Ramirez’ presence will be important. State will have representatives from all the different Washington state districts, 11 in all, coming from as far away as the Tri-Cities to nearby areas like Federal Way, and even out west and east in areas of Vancouver, Wash. and Everett.

Players for the Pac West Seniors All Stars team are: Brooks Allen, Caleb Ramirez, Garrett Bojorquez, Patrick Culbert, Kasey Daw, James Hovland, Ryan Lingle, Jeremy Rowden, Skyler Servis, Luke Werle, Joey Young, manager John Ramirez and coach Jim Hovland .