SEATTLE--Some onlookers were saying that many baseball players in the Class 4A and 3A finals were more excited about being at Safeco Field than they were about making the "final four" state games held at the Seattle Mariners' home field.

That would be a tough thing to say about Federal Way.

The Eagles fought hard against Kentwood in the semifinals and led most of the way until the Conquerors caught them at 2-2 in the sixth inning and won it, 3-2, with bottom of the seventh heroics.

That sent the Federal Way contingent into tears, including head coach Danny Graham and the two players who joined him in the post-game interview room -- leadoff hitter and center fielder Drew Cratsenberg and pitcher Elliot Morris. They waited with their hands over their faces for the Kentwood coach and media-selected players to finish so they could come up behind the podium.

"I've watched playoff games and was glad I'm not coaching in the pros because we would not have this kind of meeting after we lost," Graham said. "We came to win. Kentwood is an awesome team. They smashed us twice (during the regular season), but I thought we did enough to get over it since then."

"It's heartbreaking. All that hard work," said Cratsenberg, who hit 2-for-2 and hit an RBI sacrifice fly and drew a walk. "I did what I could at the plate."

Morris struck out four Kentwood batters and severely limited them on the scoreboard most of the way.

"We held an awesome hitting team to three runs and I'm still proud of them," said Graham of Morris and the players on defense.

As tough as that loss and the elimination from championship play that went with it were, the Eagles still had more baseball to play. They came back to Safeco and claimed the third place trophy with an 11-3 drubbing of Shorewood the next day.

"We just have to come out motivated and get third place and not let all of the season get away," Cratsenberg said looking ahead to that game.

Cratsenberg walked to lead off the Kentwood game and scored when Nick Tanielu bounced a double off the Mariners' logo on the hand-operated scoreboard down the left-field line.

The Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the second inning as Terin Beck hit an infield single, stole second, went to third on an error and scored on Cratsenberg's sacrifice fly to center field.

Kentwood used its speed to get one of the runs back in the second.

Brandon Oak walked, stole second, advanced on a grounder and scored on a base hit by Brent VanEngelenburg. Matt Bell then walked and scored on an Oak triple to tie it in the sixth.

J.T. Evenson spoiled the Eagles' title dreams in the seventh. Evenson and VanEngelenburg walked, then Evenson went to third on a bunt sacrifice and scored on a double by Austin Voth with both the Eagles' infield and outfield in.

"I knew he was going to throw the pitch down the middle," said Voth of Federal Way reliever Austin Weber. "Because the first pitch was a curve ball. It felt great. I knew it was going to fall in."