Larch Mountain's Skylar Holden is mobbed by teammates after his two-run homer against Chehalis during the District 3 10-11 Year-Old Little League Tournament Tuesday in Centralia.
Larch Mountain's Landon Hawes tries to avoid the tag from Chehalis' Brit Lusk during District 3 10-11 Year-Old Little League Tournament Tuesday in Centralia. Hawes was called out on the play.
Larch Mountain's Landon Hawes makes contact with a Chehalis pitch during the District 3 10-11 Year-Old Little League Tournament Tuesday in Centralia.
Chehalis' Britt Lusk reacts after tagging out a Larch Mountain baserunner at home during the District 3 10-11 Year-Old Little League Tournament Tuesday in Centralia.
Chehalis' Austin Johnson records an out of a Larch Mountain baserunner during the District 3 10-11 Year-Old Little League Tournament Tuesday in Centralia.
For the second straight day, the Chehalis 10-11 Year-Old All-Stars had their backs to the wall in the District 3 10-11 Year-Old Little League Tournament. And for the second straight day, the Mint City boys sent their opponent packing thanks to some late-game offensive fireworks.
Leading by a slim 7-6 margin in the bottom of the fifth, Chehalis blasted Rochester-based Larch Mountain for eight hits and 9 runs for the walkoff 10-run rule 16-6 victory Tuesday in Centralia.
The victory moved the future Bearcats into the district tournament championship game against Aberdeen on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Since Chehalis is coming from the losers' bracket, they will need to defeat Aberdeen twice, once on Wednesday and once on Thursday to advance to the state tournament.
In Tuesday's game, the Mint City boys jumped out to a 5-0 lead before Larch Mountain responded with 2 runs of their own in the bottom of the second. Skylar Holden tied the game at 5-5 with a 3-run homer for the Rochester Little League squad in the third.
Holden would give Larch Mountain a 3-for-3 performance and a double to go along with his home run.
Chehalis took the 7-5 lead in the bottom of the third on a 2-run double by Cade Haller. Haller would finished the game 4 for 4 with a double, triple and three RBI. After a scoreless fourth inning, Larch Mountain added a run to make it 7-6 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
That's when Chehalis would do the most damage with its 9-run rally, enacting the 10-run rule and winning their second walkoff victory of the tournament. The Rochester squad also committed three errors during the game. Larch Mountain finished with 11 hits, including a 3 for 3 performance by Logan Fry.
They had trouble contending with the pitching of Chehalis' Austin Johnson, who went four innings, striking out six. The Mint City bats finished with 18 hits. Lucas Wichert was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, Evan Moon was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Johnson also had two hits.
Cameryn Bostick was 3-for-3 for Chehalis as well with a double and 3 RBI, while Carter McCoy anchored the No. 9 spot with a 2-for-4 day with a double and an RBI.
