LYNDEN — Port Angeles is killing teams at the 14-under and 12-under Junior Babe Ruth softball state tournaments.
Port Angeles beat Bellingham twice to win the three-team 14-under tournament Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Port Angeles 12-under team is 5-0 in competition through Saturday in the 14-team competition.
The unbeaten North Olympic 12-under team plays undefeated Ellensburg in the semifinals today at 11 a.m. The winner advances to the title game and the loser must win twice to capture the championship.
The title contest starts at 3 p.m.
Port Angeles and Ellensburg have 10-runned all of their opponents.
The North Olympic team stomped Hoquiam 12-0 in four innings, smashed Othello 10-0 in four innings, whipped Mount Baker 14-0 in five innings, ripped Bellingham 24-1 in four innings and beat Hoquiam 11-1 on Saturday in single-game elimination.
“We’re having a good time over here,” Port Angeles manager Brian Dills said.
The not-so-secret to the team’s success is team unity and playing together for awhile, Dills said.
“They’re a real tight group,” Dills said. “They do everything together. Half of the team are 12 year olds and half are 11 year olds. They’re all pretty good players.”
And one of the 11 year olds just turned 12 on Saturday and celebrated her birthday with the team victory.
“Sarah Steinman is having her birthday today,” Dills said.
Steinman kind of celebrated her birthday a day earlier when she ripped a grand slam home run in North Olympic’s 24-1 victory over Bellingham.
Bailey Dills and Rachel Eastey are doing the job on the mound for Port Angeles with Bailey Dills starting each game and Eastey coming in as the closer.
Raelyn Lucas belted a three-run homer against Hoquiam in Saturday’s game while Eastey had a two-RBI double and Hailey Gray scored two runs.
Port Angeles also cleaned up in the skills competition Friday.
North Olympic came in second in the relay race while Lauren Aguirre won the hitting competition and Tori Kuch tied for second.
14-under champions
North Olympic’s 14-under team also 10-runned every team in its smaller three-team tournament.
Port Angeles went 2-0 in pool play, pounding Blaine 21-0 before ripping Bellingham 12-1.
Then on Saturday, North Olympic beat Bellingham twice to win the state championship.
North Olympic will participate in the regional championships starting Wednesday in Meridian, Idaho.
Port Angeles won Saturday’s first game 20-0 and captured the second 11-0 in five innings.
Workhorse Stacy Webb, who pitched every inning but two in this tournament, no-hit Bellingham in Saturday’s first game and had a one-hitter in the second contest.
Mariah Frasier smacked a three-run inside-the-park home run in the second game.
Against Bellingham on Friday, Hanna Wahto went 2-for-4 with two triples, Tori Holcome was 3-for-4 with a double, Della Lucas went 2-for-2 with a double and Frasier was a perfect 4-for-4.
Against Blaine, Sheri Adams was 4-for-4 with two triples, Frasier went 4-for-4 and Wahto was 3-for-3.
“We are just hitting really well and we have dominating pitching,” Port Angeles manager Duffy Fors said.
Adams has pitched two innings during the tournament while Webb threw the rest.
