Pitching was key in Friday's defeat of West Seattle 4-3 by Pac West in last Friday's elimination bracket.

"We had to do some strange defensively and rework our normal positions to get certain kids up to bat," said a relieved Pac West manager Jim Kemp.

Pac West came out smoking to open the game. Successive sharp, stinging singles by Ryne Phelan and Corsack, respectively, preceded a strikeout. Jacob Wydick yanked a first pitch offering from D'Nique Harris-Welch that was gone on contact to clear the right field fence for a three-run homer to send Pac West into delirium and a 3-0 lead before its opponent had batted.

An unlikely play in the third inning helped the Pac West All-Stars score the run that would hold up throughout the rest of the game as the winning run. Cosack rammed a leadoff single to start the sequence. An error on an attempted force out at second base on Jeff Kemp's ground ball resulted in runners on the corners for Pac West.

West Seattle tried to give Wydick an intentional walk. The first pitch was close enough to the plate for the Pac West big gun to swing at and miss. It was at this point that the strategy turned sour for West Seattle. D'Niques' next pitched rimmed off the top of the catcher's mitt and rolled far enough away for Corsack to reach home plate safely.

Trailing, 4-0, West Seattle would not roll over and give up. In the bottom of the third, Conner McCargo's pop fly in the infield was not played and dropped to the earth for a single as West Seattle's first hit of the game. Advancing to second base on a wild pitch, the runner was in position for Harris-Welch to single in the run that trimmed Pac West's seeming control to 4-1.

West Seattle continued to fight back, resuming with Conner Desmond's walk to open the home team's batting order. Desmond moved up to second base on a wild pitch. Corsack struck out the next batter. Coming off the bench to bat, Devin Smith drove in a run with a single and the score was now 4-2 with Smith springing to second on the outfielder's throw to home plate.

It was now Denny Werlech's turn to single home a run that drew West Seattle to 4-3. An unassisted ground out at first base sent the possible game winning run to second base with two out. On a 2-2 count, Corsack focused and fired to catch the batter looking at a third strike curve on the outside corner. Mustering his masterful mound skills - which include a sharp breaking curve ball and a fastball with good movement - the Pac West right-hander struck out the side in order to preserve his complete game, championship-clinching win.

Corsack's six-hitter included 14 strikeouts and no walks. Welch-Harris gave up seven hits and struck out nine batters for West Seattle.

In the end, Pac West played seven games to achieve the goal of going to state.

On Thursday, West Seattle right-hander Evan Clements proved to be a formidable foe for Pac West, continually clipping the corners of home plate to finish with a four-hitter along with eight strikeouts.

For the first two innings the only batters to get on base did so by drawing walks.

Suddenly, under rain threatening dark clouds, the teams spoke with voices of thunder in the third inning. Lukas Crippen led off with a walk for the Pac West All-Stars to start the offense. One strikeout later, Ryne Phelan bunted Crippen to second base. Corsack then lined a single to right field, scoring the runner. On the same play sequence, the center fielder allowed the ball to get past him, allowing Corsack to advance to second base. Kemp's double over the left fielder's head made the score 2-0 before left handed hitting Wydick rifled a single down the third base line to expand Pac West's lead to 3-0.

In the home half of the inning, West Seattle batter Nick Savas singled with two out.Clements brought West Seattle within 3-2 by blasting a hanging curve ball for a home run that left the field of play over the left center field fence in a heartbeat.

As the game result dangled in the balance, Pac West threatened to widen its slim advantage in the fourth inning. Jack Munden legged out a one-out triple that cleared the right fielder's head. West Seattle's Clements responded by striking out the next two batters, leaving the runner longingly looking at home plate.

The fifth inning was a heart-stopper. With the top of its batting order coming up, West Seattle tried to make its case. Ryan Gale reached first on a leadoff base hit and later moved up to second base on a wild pitch. Danny Werlech followed by drawing a base on balls. Savas' fielders choice out on a bunt left runners still at first and second base with one out. Clements' fielder's choice ground out produced runners on first and third as two outs showed. Wydick drew his breath on the mound and quickly worked the count to 0-2 against the next West Seattle batter before catching the batter looking at a third strike curve ball to repulse the West Seattleites' scoring opportunity.

Focusing his eyes on the prize, Wydick struck out the side, 1-2-3, in the sixth to record his complete game victory and keep his team in the title hunt.

Pac West followed by knocking out Southwest 10-0 to leave the frightening forest of the elimination round.

West Seattle survived its first two games, each by one run. First, came a 7-6 win against Rainier. In a nail-biter, West Seattle then stopped South Highline American 3-2. Blanking Southwest 4-0 left the West Seattle contingent as the only unbeaten team going into Thursday action.

Players on the West Seattle roster are Sam Hellinger, Conner McCargo, Devin Smith, Danny Werlech, Nic Layton, D'Nique Harris-Welch, Sam Kennard, Coal Winters, Conner Desmond, Evan Clements, Nick Savas, Jordan Elliot, and Ryan Gale. Bob Hellinger's assistant coaches are Darren Forsell and David Gale.