PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Crosscutters sealed a spot in the American Legion AA State Tournament by slipping past Centralia 7-6.
Saturday night’s victory at Civic Field was the Cutters’ second one-run triumph in as many days at the AA District Two tournament.
The Cutters rallied for a 5-4 win in their district opener on a Logan Shaw single.
In Saturday’s game, Olympic had to rally once again, but also hold back a Centralia comeback attempt in the late innings.
The Cutters took a 5-1 lead after two innings, plating five runners in the bottom of
the second.
A Cole Dotson RBI double brought home his Chimacum High School teammate Logan Shaw to open Olympic’s big frame.
A James Thayer walk and a single by Rwehabura Munyagi Jr. loaded the bases for the Cutters.
An RBI single by Joel Wood brought home Dotson and Thayer.
With runners at first and third Wood stole second base and Munyagi scored on an error by the second baseman.
Wood later came home on an RBI single by Justin Porter.
Centralia scored four runs in the top of the third to chase Olympic starter Lane Dotson.
Reliever Jake Sparks came on with runners at second and third and notched a three-pitch strikeout to prevent further damage.
The Cutters added their final two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Porter led off with a single on a 3-2 count and advanced to third base on a Gavin Velarde single to center field.
A Lane Dotson ground out drove in Porter, and Shaw followed with a base hit to right field to bring home Velarde.
A leadoff walk, a single to center and another base hit to left field had Centralia back within one run, trailing 7-6 in the top of the sixth inning, with a runner on second base.
But relief pitcher James Thayer got a one-pitch popup and a strikeout to end the inning.
Thayer opened the seventh by hitting a batter, but picked up three straight outs to close the contest and seal the win.
The Cutters faced Montesano for the district championship late Sunday.
Crosscutters 7, Centralia 6
Centralia 1 0 4 0 0 1 0 — 6 9 3
Cutters 0 5 0 0 2 0 x — 7 9 2
WP- Thayer; LP- Thomas
Pitching Statistics
Centralia: Thomas 5 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K; Spencer IP, H, 0 R, K.
Cutters: L. Dotson 2 2/3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 0 ER, BB, K; Sparks 2/3 IP, H, 0 R, BB, K; Thayer 3 2/3 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 3 K.
Hitting Statistics
Centralia: Aliff 3-4, 2 R; Trevino 2-3, 2B, R; Stulken 1-4, 2 RBI.
Cutters: C. Dotson 2-3, 2B, R, RBI; Shaw 2-3, R, RBI; Porter 2-3, R, RBI; Wood 1-4, R, 2 RBI; Munyagi 1-2, R, BB; Velarde 1-3, R.
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Compiled using team reports.
