By Gerardo Bolong
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Frame of mind factored in famously for the West Seattle Little League baseball 9-11 age All-Stars on Mon., July 16, at the Pacwest Fields.
Following an opening round loss in which the Westsiders watched nine third strike calls cross the plate, WS rebounded strongly to score in bunches for a 19-4 three-inning elimination of District 11 Burlington-Edison at the 2018 state tournament. The early end was due to the 15-run mercy rule.

“The team rebounded well,” manager Otis Moore said. “They didn’t let the (hot) weather bother them. There was a hitting mindset.”
Unlike the watch and wait performance of Sunday, West Seattle went to work aggresively and quickly against District 11.
After B-E scored a first inning run by way of a bases loaded walk, the WS All-Stars began the early burial proceedings of District 11.
Two consecutive walks and a hit batter set the stage for Cam Fitterer to ground a ball that was misplayed into two runs by the shortstop. Another hit batter loaded the bases for a walk to Duncan Monnin  that forced home a third run.

Two additional runs were batted in by Cody Sazama’s sharp single. Completing a seven run salvo, Jesse LaBella slashed a two-run single.
Thirteen batters had gone to the plate.

An error on a single by Asher Moe brought the visitors within 7-3 in the top of the second inning.

West Seattle retaliation came in the form of 10 runs on four hits mixed in with walks and another hit batter on its second inning at bat.
Sazama batted twice with two hits and an RBI as part of a WS 14-batter at bat that ballooned the advantage to 17-3.
Sazama batted 3-of-3 with four RBI.

“I was using my eyes this time to watch every ball to the bat,” said the Saz.

District 11 scored a third inning run, but the Westsiders were working too strongly to let a chance to end the devastation early escape them.
Fitterer doubled home a run and a third baseman’s throwing error on a Caden Ross ground ball ended the one-sided encounter.
Hudson Harding bought the District VII champions some extra available pitching eligibility by roughing out three innings on the mound,
“I don’t pitch very often,” he said. “I was mentally in it. I just stayed calm, took deep breaths and didn’t let the other team get to me.”
The challenge gets tougher as West Seattle goes forward to a Tues., July 17, game at 6:30 p.m.

In other tourney news the following award was given. District 7 Jack Newell Volunteer Service Award: John Newell aka “The Voice of District 7 Little League."