HOQUIAM — The fantasy ended for one North Olympic Peninsula team and got a little more difficult for another in bracket play at the Northwest Babe Ruth Softball regional tournament Saturday.
But the North Olympic 12U team of Port Angeles continues to roll and is close to a regional championship.
Meanwhile, having won four straight in the preliminary 10U round-robin, Forks saw its hopes for a regional title shattered in two unimaginable games.
In a noon game, the little girls who could were leading Meridian, Idaho 4-3, only to see the Idaho girls plate two in the bottom of the sixth inning to win 5-4.
Tossed into the loser’s bracket at 4 p.m. against host Hoquiam, Forks led 2-1 with two out in the top of the sixth when Hoquiam scored three runs to win 4-2 and end Forks’ dream season.
On Sunday, Upper Rogue awaited the Meridian, Idaho and Hoquiam winner to determine the regional champion.
In 12U play, North Olympic continued to roll.
Opening with a 10-0 win over Upper Rogue on Saturday morning, Port Angeles then awaited host Hoquiam, a 6-5 winner over Ellensburg, in the night contest.
That one saw North Olympic lead 3-1, only to have Hoquiam score three runs and take a 4-3 lead into the fifth inning.
The Port Angeles girls scored two and shut the haborites down for a 5-4 win.
North Olympic now awaits to play the Hoquiam and Ellensburg survivor for the championship and a ticket to the 12U World Series in Florida.
In 16U competition, things got a bit harder for North Olympic.
The Port Angeles team opened with a 12-3 win over Upper Rogue, but then in the night cap committed just too many mistakes in falling to Hoquiam 6-3.
On Sunday, the North Olympic girls needed to beat Upper Rogue, and then defeat Hoquiam twice to retain their regional title.
Results weren’t available by press time.
