SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — The Pacific Little League All-Stars needed a few extra innings to secure their latest victory at the Little League World Series Regionals.
Pacific scored six runs in the top of the ninth inning — Little League games usually end after six — to defeat Montana 10-4 and remain undefeated at regional tournament at Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino, Calif.
Like in its regionals opener against Oregon on Friday, Pacific found itself trailing early. The Montana team from Boulder-Arrowhead took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Pacific got one run back in the third, added two in the fifth inning and got the tying run just in time in the top of the sixth to force extra innings.
“Apparently, they just want to give me more stress,” said Pacific manager Robley Corsi, Jr. “The thing that’s funny is none of them give up. They say, ‘Hey, it’s going to happen. And we find a way to do what we have to do.’”
Both teams remained scoreless until the Pacific All-Stars’ offense erupted for six runs in the ninth to clinch its second victory of the tournament.
Read Carr and Colton Walsh had two hits apiece to lead the team from Washington, which finished with 12 hits in the contest. Pacific pitcher Karsen Tjarneberg struck out eight batters in 4 1⁄3 innings to earn the win. Tjarneberg also helped himself out at the plate with a game-high two RBI.
The victory helped Pacific get an inside track to be in the top four teams in the regional that includes teams from Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska.
“You’ve got to be in the top four,” Corsi said. “We’ve given ourselves a really good chance to advance. There’s a good shot that we’d be able to grab one of those four spots. It’s put us a position where if we win one more we’re essentially in.”
Pacific, comprised of players from Lynnwood, Edmonds and unincorporated Snohomish County, takes on Idaho Monday at 4:30 p.m. and Wyoming Tuesday at 7 p.m. The games were rescheduled due to inclement weather that postponed several games on Sunday.
After playing their first two games at 8:30 in the morning, the Pacific players are excited to have a game later in the day.
“I’m really happy with how we’ve played,” Corsi said. “We’ve had two 8:30 games in three days. They’re just tough on kids (having to) get up early. … I would think that we would sleep in tomorrow and I think we’ll be all right. It’ll be more what we’re used to.”
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