Late burst helps North Whidbey qualify for state | Junior Baseball

For the second game in a row, the North Whidbey Junior Little League (13/14) baseball team used a late surge to win, this time securing a state tournament spot with a 12-2 win over host Anacortes in the championship game of the District 11 playoffs.

By Jim Waller • July 5, 2015 4:14 pm

North Whidbey scored seven runs over the fifth and six innings, thanks in part to a three-run home run by Ethan Cosper, to spank Anacortes and claim the state slot. With the win, North Whidbey, coached by Ryan McCarthy, upped its record to 17-0.

Now North Whidbey will travel to Vancouver to play the state tournament, which opens at 10 a.m. July 19, at the Glenwood Little League complex.

The Wildcats wasted little time taking the lead against Anacortes. In the top of the first, Jakob Dailey and Jason Bergeron singled. After an out, Bergeron stole second, went to third on a passed ball and then scored on a single by Nathanael Thompson.

After Anacortes tied the game with a run in the second inning, North Whidbey went up 5-1 with a four-run third. With one out, Bergeron and Thompson singled. Bergeron scored on an error and Thompson was driven home on a single by Aiden McCarthy.

David Sisson walked with two outs, then Jacob Palbicki-Hoover ripped a two-run triple.

Anacortes scored once in the bottom of the third to make it 5-2 and was still in the game, then North Whidbey scored four runs in the fifth and three in the sixth.

In the fifth, McCarthy singled and Cosper tripled for one run. Cosper scored on Sisson’s sacrifice fly center field. Devin Day walked and scored on Luke Golden’s triple, then Golden scored on Johnny Bradley’s groundout.

In the sixth, Thompson and McCarthy walked with one out, then Cosper blasted a home run to left to cap the scoring.

North Whidbey pitcher McCarthy held Anacortes scoreless in the sixth, striking out the final two batters, to end the game on the 10-run mercy rule.

McCarthy pitched a five-hitter, striking out 10 and walking only two.

He was also one of the hitting stars, finishing with three hits, three runs, an RBI and seven stolen bases.

Cosper, Daily, Bergeron and Thompson each collected two hits.