(Photos by Barry J. White)
4 PM: Just in from Sedro-Woolley – the West Seattle Little League All-Star 12s are state champions, beating Pacific (in their third faceoff) 8-4. Thanks again to Cami MacNamara for the updates, and thanks to Barry J. White for the photo above (added 4:13 pm). Barry adds, “The team now plays as Washington in the Northwest regional. Play begins next weekend in San Bernardino, CA.” More later!
ADDED 4:28 PM: The double play that ended the game:
Thanks for the video (by Stephen Foster)!
ADDED 8:32 PM: More photos/highlights from Barry J. White:
The teams and umpires arrayed for the national anthem.
Tristan Buehring is greeted at home following his three-run homer to right that capped a five-run second inning for Westside.
The players huddle before each at-bat to motivate for hits and runs. It seemed to work. West Seattle scored 60 runs in seven games to easily outpace the tournament field.
Eli Palmer got the start three days after a rough outing against the same Pacific side. He came through in the clutch today, pitching into the fifth inning and giving up three runs on six hits.
Caden Fahy steams to third following Palmer’s double in the bottom of the fifth.
Robbie Foisy reacts to his teammates in the dugout after a two-out double that scored Fahy and Palmer. It put Westside up 8-4 after Pacific had rallied to within a run.
Parker Eley jumps into the arms of Miles Gosztola after third baseman Bobby Trigg started a crisp 5-4-3 double play to end the game. Eley recorded the final five outs to pick up his second save in as many days.
Scenes of delirium on the infield.
Skillful play, camaraderie, and class won Westside a lot of new fans during their runs through the district and state tournaments. West Seattle can be proud of their first representative on the regional stage. Manager Mike Fahy and coaches Sean Eley and Brian Sherick have done a masterful job keeping the kids motivated and focused during their winning run.
And Kathy Powers, WSLL communications, wants to be sure you know the names of all the state-champ players:
Blake Taft, Bobby Trigg, Caden Fahy, Eli Palmer, Jake Daily, Joe Sherick, Matthew Hazlegrove, Matthew Henning, Miles Gosztola, Parker Eley, Robbie Foisy, Simon Vance, Tristan Buehring, Wyatt Glover
Regionals, she tells us, start one week from today – August 5th.
P.S. Thanks to Cami and Kathy for word that this is the first WSLL 12s (Majors) team to win a state championship. This team won the 11s championship last year but that age group does not move on to regional competition – this one does, and it’s a WSLL first.
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