By Gerardo Bolong
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Lights out pitching kept the District 7 champion West Seattle Little League Majors 11-12 ages baseball All-Star team alive in the 2014 state tournament held at West Seattle's Bar-S fields on Mon., July 14.
Four pitchers combined comfortably in a 3-hit, 9-0, shut out of District 11 Burlington-Edison in a loser-out match up. Next up on the opponent list was District 9 Eastlake on Tues., July 15.
Starting left handed pitcher Konrad Gerhardt dazzled Burlington-Edison hitter for the first three innings, allowing only one hit while striking out six batters.

"I was fast and smooth while I mixed up my pitches, using my off speed pitches when I needed to," Gerhardt said.

Kenji Suzuki followed on the hill, giving up two hits while stranding runners on second and third in his fourth inning stint. Continuing the succession of successful West Seattle mound masters, Henry Muench set the side down in order in the fifth inning. Walker Nelson took the mound to record a scoreless sixth inning while allowing only a walk to preserve the whitewash.

The host Westsiders struck for the only run they needed on Suzuki's one-out home run in the top of the first inning.

"We have some good momentum," said Suzuki.

In the next inning, Paul Johnson's two-run homer to right centerfield also plated Max Debiec who had a lead off single and West Seattle was ahead 3-0.

"Our defense was also a lot better," Johnson noted. "We're all excited."
It was Suzuki's walk in the third inning that eventually led to another West Seattle score after Justin Murphy's infield single.

Already in command at 4-0 after five complete innings, the West Seattle All-Stars bludgeoned their way to five runs on six hits and one error to create the final scoring. Ulee Hammer, Justin Murphy, Jackson Sullivan, Max Debiec and Johnson each had singles as part of the final flurry.