Clutch hitting, strong pitching and steady defense carried the North Whidbey 11-12 baseball team to a 3-1 win over South Whidbey Friday, June 29, at the District 11 Major Little League baseball tournament in Sedro-Woolley.

The win also earned North Whidbey a spot in the championship series with Burlington-Edison at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 1, at Sedro-Woolley’s Tesarik Park. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday but was rained out.

Burlington-Edison defeated North Whidbey 7-2 Monday in the tournament opener, forcing North Whidbey to win three straight loser-out games to get another shot at B-E.

North Whidbey will need to beat Burlington-Edison twice to claim the district crown and a berth in the state tournament. The second game Sunday, if necessary, will begin at 3.

North Whidbey 3, South Whidbey 1

North Whidbey scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie.

Holden Jesus reached on an error, then Connor Cash drove him home with a single. After an out, Gunnar Lutz plated Cash with a base hit.

North Whidbey scored the game’s first run in the first inning. Alex Jenkins singled with one out and then moved around the bases on a series of wild pitches.

South Whidbey tied the game in the top of the third with a walk, fielder’s choice and back-to-back singles.

Jenkins pitched the first three innings for North Whidbey with three strikeouts, three hits and one walk.

Lutz tossed the next two innings with one hit, one strikeout and no walks.

Jacob Figarelle earned the save, working around a single and walk to strike out the side in the sixth.

North Whidbey committed only one error in the game.

Christian Gisvold and Nate Moore also recorded base hits for North Whidbey.