After the Richland batters deposited a pair of long balls over the fence in the first inning Saturday afternoon, there was a sense that the Bombers were pressing a bit the rest of the day to create another big inning, swinging from their heels in an effort to live up to their name.
Several warning-track flies and four infield pop-ups later, defending state champion Richland got back to level swings and line drives, and finally got the scoring outburst it needed.
Houston Castillo and Jamison Rowe ripped back-to-back singles and Jeremy Barwick found a gap for a misplayed triple as the Bombers scored four runs in the fifth inning to hold off upstart Pasco 9-5 in the CBL 4A district championship game at Bomber Field.
"Honestly, I think we were just trying too hard," said Richland coach Ben Jacobs, whose team qualified for state for the ninth time since 1996.
The Bombers will play in the regional round of state next Saturday at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane.
They find out their opponent Tuesday, when CBL No. 2 Wenatchee -- a 12-4 winner over Pasco on Saturday evening -- plays Central Valley, the Greater Spokane League No. 2. Richland will face Central Valley or, if Wenatchee wins, District 2 No. 2 Redmond, in the opening game at state.
For the Bulldogs, hoping to make just their second-ever trip to state and first since 1998, this season is a major turnaround after going 0-20 two years ago and 4-16 last season.
"The kids deserve all the credit in the world," said second-year coach Gary Jonas. "The coaches set the standard, but they meet the standards."
They were full of fight Saturday against a team that swept them 10-0 and 7-2 just a week ago. Pasco stuck three runs on the board in the top of the first. Daniel Weiss doubled in a pair of runs with a shot to center that outfielder Marcelino Morales just missed catching on the slide.
But that good start didn't last long. Morales led off the bottom of the inning and sent Nick Hernandez's fourth pitch high over the left-center field fence.
After hitting a batter and giving up a pair of hard-hit singles, Hernandez gave way to Anthony Garza. Ryan McKinney put a charge into his first pitch, sending it over the fence in left for a 5-3 lead.
Though it seemed like this might be the start of some serious offensive fireworks, neither team would score again until the fifth.
"I think we got excited a little bit, got a little anxious when we should have stayed back," McKinney said.
Pasco's Trevor Brain took the mound to start the second, and the Bombers were hitless until their outburst in the fifth. Meanwhile, Richland starter Cody Shepherd settled down after the first -- all three runs were unearned -- and finished with a complete game, giving up six hits and striking out six.
Brain and Steven Goulet each hit RBI singles in the fifth for Pasco, and a base-running error prevented the Bulldogs from perhaps taking the lead in the inning.
But Richland's response was swift. Castillo laced a hit to center with two outs to score Josh Rapacz, who reached on an error. Rowe followed with a sharp hit to left.
Then Barwick, the No. 9 hitter who went 3-for-3 with the game-winner Friday against Wenatchee, found the gap in left-center. One run was sure to score, but the ball was misplayed from a single into a triple and scoring both runners. Barwick would come around on a balk.
"We finally got back to hitting line drives and staying back," McKinney said, adding he was glad the Bombers got a couple of close games heading into state after 10-running so many opponents during the regular season.
"It's good we got to experience those close, tough games early on."
Richland 9, Pasco 5
Pasco 300 020 0 -- 5 6 2
Richland 500 040 x -- 9 9 2
Nick Hernandez, Anthony Garza (1), Trevor Brain (2), Nate Burgess (5) and Zach Banks; Cody Shepherd and Kevin Lathim. Highlights--Brain (P) 2x3, RBI, R; Daniel Weiss (P) 1x3, 2B, 2 RBI; Marcelino Morales (R) 1x3, HR, RBI; Ryan McKinney (R) 1x2, HR, 3 RBI, SB; Houston Castillo (R) 2x4, 2B, RBI; Jeremy Barwick (R) 1x2, 3B, 2 RBI.
Wenatchee 9, Moses Lake 7
Wenatchee 400 110 3 -- 9 11 0
Moses Lake 002 103 1 -- 7 12 3
Bryan and Johnson; Stephens and Lacelle. Highlights--Carlson (W) 3x4; Myers (ML) 2x4; Martin (ML) 2x2; Martinez (ML) 2x3.
Wenatchee 12, Pasco 4
Wenatchee 002 223 3 -- 12 17 4
Pasco 020 200 0 -- 4 8 4
Young and Johnson; Anthony Garza, Derik Briggs (4), Josh Perez (6), Luk Graff (7) and Zach Banks. Highlights--Colton Richards (W) 4x5, 3 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R; Bryan (W) 3x5, 3 R; Trevor Brain (P) 2x4, RBI; Garza (P) 2 RBI.