The Kent/Chinook Little League Senior All-Star team came back through the losers’ bracket to win the state baseball tournament at Brannan Park in Auburn.
Kent beat Stilly Valley of Arlington 7-4 and 10-0 on Saturday to take the title and earn a berth in the Western Regionals in Ontario, Calif. Kent, comprised of 14-through-16-year-olds who live in Covington, Kent, Bonney Lake and Enumclaw, opens regional play Aug. 3 against the host Chino, Calif., team.
“The kids weren’t going to die,” Kent coach Kirk Davis said. “A lot went last year (when Kent won state) and they were not going to let somebody else keep them out.”
Kent had to beat Stilly Valley twice on Saturday because the Arlington team entered the championship round undefeated while Kent had one loss.
In the 10-0 win, Austin Sisley threw a five-hitter with two strikeouts in his first tournament start. Sisley is the only freshman on the team.
Jared Mackie and Matt Nutting each had a triple and two RBIs to lead Kent. Garrett Robertson added two hits and Ricky Davis had two RBIs.
Nutting was 2 for 4 with a home run in the 7-4 victory. Robertson was 4 for 4 with a double and Colby Thompson was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs. John Benson struck out eight and picked up the win.
The victories avenged a 7-2 loss to Stilly Valley earlier in the tournament after Kent had won its first two games.
Kent beat Richmond 7-1 on July 22 to earn a spot in the title game. David Prince pitched the win. Mackie, Robertson and Davis each had two hits.
“Pitching was the key the last three games,” Kirk Davis said. “Our three starters did great.”
The regionals will feature nine teams divided into pools of five and four teams. Other teams will represent Southern California, Northern California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and Montana.
The winner advances to the Senior Baseball World Series Aug. 14-20 in Bangor, Maine.
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