HOQUIAM — The Port Angeles 12U Babe Ruth softball team is heading to the World Series.
One North Olympic team from Port Angeles gained entry to the World Series while another came very close.
Needing to win just one championship game, North Olympic’s 12U team met host Hoquiam, which had eliminated Ellensburg 13-7 Sunday morning.
Emotions see-sawed as the teams were tied 3-3 after four innings, and then no one could score through regulation, as well as the seventh and eighth innings.
In the top of the ninth, the Port Angeles girls finally opened up, and before taking the field had scored six runs for a seemingly comfortable lead at 9-3.
The crowd was biting nails, though, as Hoquiam quickly plated three runs and had a runner on second when the game ended and North Olympic had captured the regional championship with the 9-6 win.
The 12U Babe Ruth Softball World Series is scheduled for Aug. 2-8 in Alachua, Fla.
The team will be starting its fundraising efforts right away with a car wash at Sound Bank this Saturday from 10 a.m. to
3 p.m.
Anyone who wants to make a donation to the team can contact Randy Steinman at 360-775-6739.
The North Olympic 16U team, meanwhile, had a harder battle at regionals.
Disposing of the Umpqua Valley team 10-0 in the semifinals Sunday morning, the Port Angeles team had to best Hoquiam twice to punch a ticket to the World Series.
Taking an early 1-0 lead, Port Angeles saw Hoquiam bust out with a four-run inning, and then had to claw back to tie, only to see Hoquiam benefit from a home run that bounced off the top of the fence and over to provide a 6-4 lead.
Not done, North Olympic scored two in the top of the seventh to tie, and the game went into extra innings.
In the bottom of the ninth, just as game officials were considering what to do if Port Angeles won and a second game was threatened by darkness, Hoquiam struck quickly and scored, sending a Port Angeles 16U team down to a tough 7-6 defeat.
