July 2014

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

REDMOND--District 7's South Highline National team made a great run but fell just shy of a championship with a 9-1 loss to District 9, the host team from Redmond, in the Big League Washington State All Stars Tournament at Redmond Ridge Park Thursday.

So, second place in the state, not too bad at all.

In fact, it's like that word, Tony The Tiger uses, 'G-r-r-r-r-reat.'
Redmond did great, too.

"They played a good ballgame," said Kathy Macri, South Highline National manager. "They did great. Brandon (Scott) pitched a great game for us. The guys did really good."

Just one of those games where the final score is not indicative of the closeness of the game as this one was a 3-1 ballgame through five innings of the seven inning game and it took until the top of the fourth for either team to score. Redmond put three on the scoreboard then. A single, steal, and an RBI double made it 1-0. Then, a fly ball that was a tough catch, in the sun, but still dropped by a fielder who was hurt on the play for a run. And, a RBI off a fielder's choice led to another Redmond run, making it 3-0 for the foe.

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

REDMOND--Steady did it.
District 7's South Highline National pitcher, Ryan Macri, pitched strongly throughout the game, and his team hit and scored consistently in an 8-4 win over District 8 (Shoreline-Ballard) at the Big League All Stars Baseball State Tournament Wednesday.

Now it's time to go to the championship game for South Highline National.

They must beat District 9 (Kirkland-Redmond area) twice to win the championship and go on to regionals against seven other states' Big League champions that starts in Bremerton later this month.
It's a tall order, but steady, consistent play, a little more hitting than happened in it's 2-1 loss to District 9 the first game played on Tuesday will help too. Four hits for each team that game.
But Macri, who threw an economical 94 pitches in seven innings against District 8, says that his team can do it if they show up and play National ball.

"We just have to play a solid game and we will win," said Macri.
Steady does it.

By Gerardo Bolong
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It was a case of fighting the good fight, but just falling short.
Despite repeated comebacks, Pac West Little League Majors ages 11-12 baseball All-Stars fell short in an 8-6 loss against Renton on Thurs.., July 3, at the 2014 District VII tournament held at Valley Ridge park in SeaTac.

Pac West's second loss eliminated it from the district tourney.
It was Renton that made the final successful charge in the seventh inning after the teams played to a 6-6 stand off after six complete innings.

From the lead off spot, Michael Millanta smashed a double and then, was moved up to second base on a Kevin Hanis sacrifice bunt. Saul Hernandez and Jamari Brown followed with singles with an error on Brown's single resulting in a run. Mira Solam's RBI ground out added one more run.
Pac West placed one runner on base in the home at bat, but was unable to score, sending Renton into the loser-out semi-final against West Seattle on July 4.

Pac West manager Paul Kemp noted that it took mental ruggedness to stay invested in the game with the strength of the opposition.

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

REDMOND--District 7's South Highline National hitter, Tommy Gracey, got just what he needed in his team's 7-6 win over District 8, from North Seattle, in opening round action of the Big League Baseball State All Stars Tournament at Redmond Ridge Park Sunday:
Fourteen innings.

That's how many frames this "Little League" association game needed to be played out by these mostly 17 and 18 year old players, an over three hour ballgame.

And this South Highline National, extra-innings, victory advances them to the winner's bracket final on Tuesday at 8 p.m.

"Before this game, I was pretty due," said Gracey, the leadoff hitter for his team, representing District 7 at the Big League state tourney. "The last few games of the regular season I was in a slump."

By Gerardo Bolong
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

West Seattle's Bar-S Fields will be the next destination for the West Seattle Little League Majors ages 11-12 baseball All-Stars after holding off a determined bid by Rainier 12-10 on Sat., July 5th, afternoon in the provisional championship of the 2014 Washing state District VII tournament at the Valley Ridge Fields in SeaTac.

District VII has an opening tournament engagement against District IV at 1:00 p.m. on Bar-S Field #2.

During the post game photo taking, the team could be heard chanting, "West Seattle, here we come. Bar-S, here we come."

Fourth inning fusillades formed the cushion West Seattle needed to hold off the ever charging Rainier All-Stars.

Leading only 9-7 going into the home at bat, West Seattle loaded its ammunition. Kenji Suzuki started with a double into the right center field gap before going to third base on a wild pitch. Jackson Sullivan's infield single produced a run. Two consecutive fielder's choice ground outs enabled Max Debiec to come to bat for a sliced triple to the right field corner for the RBI and an 11-7 margin.

By Gerardo Bolong
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It took seven innings, but the West Seattle Little League baseball Majors 11-12 ages All-Stars finally defeated previously unbeaten Rainier 7-5 in July 5th morning play to force an afternoon provisional championship finale at the 2014 District VII tournament.

This encounter reached the seventh inning in a 4-4 stand off thanks to a pair of timely defensive gems in the outfield.

In the top half of the sixth inning, Rainier center fielder Dillon Cooper's diving catch stranded West Seattle runners on first and second bases, respectively.

Left fielder Justin Murphy, the smallest player on the Valley Ridge field, lunged to his right for an inning ending diving catch that snuffed out a bases loaded Rainier threat in the home half of the inning.

"When I was running, I felt my hands sweat," he said. "When I caught it, for a second I thought it (the ball) might pop out."

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

South Highline National went a long ways in the Little League All Stars 9-10 Tournament, but fell short of the goal of representing District 7 at state.

They lost, 13-3, to West Seattle at Pac West Fields Friday.

After beating Pac West, 11-9, in a thriller in it's opener, it chilled Renton, 27-2, to be in the winner's bracket semifinal against Seattle Central but lost that one, 11-10, in heartbreaking fashion.

The loss to Seattle Central sent them into the loser's bracket to face West Seattle, with the winner going into the championship game to face Seattle Central.

"Our bats went silent for the first time in a while against Seattle Central and continued that here," said South Highline National manager Chad Parker, noting that his team led Seattle Central, 10-4, going into the bottom of the sixth, where the foe scored seven runs to win on a walk-off, game-winning three-run double.

Page 2 Books is pleased to be the sponsoring business behind the Where’s Waldo search, going on all during July.

Here’s how it works: Little Waldo figures have been hidden in 24 businesses in downtown Burien (all within walking distance of one another, along Southwest 151st, 152nd and 153rd streets). Waldo’s dog Woof is also hidden at Page 2 Books.

Pick up a Where’s Waldo Scavenger Hunt passport at Page 2. Inside is a grid with boxes for each of the participating businesses. When you spot Waldo at any of the businesses listed, collect a store stamp or signature. Do the same for when you spot Woof at Page 2.

When you’ve collected at least 10 store stamps or signatures, bring your passport to Page 2 Books to c laim an “I found Waldo” button and a $1 off coupon good for Waldo merchandise at our store. Coupons are limited to the first 125 Waldo spotters.

If you collect at least 20 of the 25 possible store stamps or signatures, you’ll get a button and a coupon, and be entered into a drawing for a six-volume deluxe set of Waldo books, plus other great prizes.

By Eric Mathison

Wherever Burien lawmakers find extra revenue to address the city’s structural deficit, it apparently won’t come from higher bills for Seattle City Light customers.

City Council members are expected to approve July 21 a new 15-year franchise agreement with City Light. Picking from two rate options, a council majority informally indicated July 7 that they favor a lower rate that would leave customer bills about the same but would not create extra revenue for the city.

Under the favored lower-cost option, City Light would charge Burien customers six percent more than its charges city of Seattle customers. In turn, City Light would pay the city of Burien four percent of the revenue it generates from Burien customers. The payback is ostensibly an incentive for the city not to create its own public utility.

A higher-cost option of eight/six percent would have meant higher costs for City Light customers but more revenue for the city.

Dear Editor

i ride on Metro buses and have used my gps unit to see how much over the posted speed limits they are going on Alaska Way and the city streets here in west Seattle. i've been on the bus when it has gone 15 to 20mph over the posted speed limit. i've emailed Metro and the King County ex and it seems that they don't really care that these 60 foot long buses are speeding at all. When these buses are going down California ave sw at 40 plus mph at midnight when it is clearly a 30 mph street. Sometimes there are people tring to get into their cars and these drivers act as if that shouldn't be going on at this time of night.

There are 3 bars on California ave sw and i've seen drivers of metro buses almost hit them while they are trying to get into their cars.

i've seen these speeding metro drivers almost hit cars stopped at red lights because the metro driver was speeding and then the metro driver is honking the horn as the Metro passes the car stopped at a red light and making the left turn from the right lane cutting off the car stopped at the red light because the metro driver was speeding!!!!.