Tri-City baseball teams win state, regional tournaments — 2 headed to World Series events

The Mid-Columbia’s youth baseball leagues are coming off a great weekend.

Four Kennewick Cal Ripken teams won Pacific Northwest Region championships, with two of them getting to advance to World Series events.

Meanwhile, the Washington State Little League Majors state tournament, which is co-hosted by the Greater Richland and Richland National Little Leagues, started on Saturday at the Badger Mountain Complex off Keene Road.

That tournament will run all week long and finish next weekend.

Here’s a look at each of the tournaments:

Little League 12s Majors

The champion of this tournament will get a chance to eventually, and possibly, go to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

Greater Richland, which won the District 12 title, lost its tournament opener on Saturday, dropping a 9-0 decision to Federal Way.

Meanwhile, Walla Walla Valley fell 8-0 to West Plains of Spokane on Sunday.

On Monday night, Greater Richland was eliminated by South Kitsap Western 9-6, while Walla Walla Valley edged Camas 3-2 to stay alive.

Walla Walla Valley was to play Rainier in a loser-out contest on Tuesday night.

There are currently four unbeaten squads left in this 13-team tournament: Federal Way, West Plains, Eastlake and Pacific.

Cal Ripken 12s 70-foot base paths

Kennewick American dropped a 5-4 decision to host Meridian, Idaho, in the tournament championship on Saturday, ending its season.

KA had gone 3-1 in pool play to qualify for the single-elimination playoffs, and it beat Sandy, Ore., 7-2 to qualify for the finals.

Cal Ripken 12s 60-foot base paths

Kennewick National, the Southern Washington State champs, went unbeaten through the Pacific Northwest Regional tournament across town at the Kennewick American complex.

KN went 4-0 in pool play, then beat Kennewick American 8-2 in the semifinals before shutting out West Salem, Ore., 2-0 in the title game Saturday.

Host Kennewick American went 2-2 in pool play before falling to KN in the single-elimination playoff semifinals.

The Kennewick National roster consists of Eliyjah Acevedo, James Carvo, Caden Castro, Caleb Coduti, Sawyer Donaldson, Zachary Kendall, Aidan Larson, Jon Lemire, Roman Maki, Austin Mengelos, Zachariah Swanson and Bronx Webb.

Coaches are Jeff Carvo, Andrew Mengelos, Josh Sparhawk and Joseph Webb.

With the victory, Kennewick National qualifies for the Cal Ripken World Series 60s in Visalia, Calif., which runs Aug. 2-9.

Little League 11s

A great run for Greater Richland Little League, which after losing its tournament opener at the Washington State Little League 9-11 state tournament, reeled off seven consecutive victories to win the state championship.

Richland had to beat Camas twice in the championship, winning the first game 9-0. That forced a second title game, and Richland won that 10-2.

Greater Richland’s team roster is Easton Bush, Shyar Bush, Ethan Engel, Dallin Higgins, Asa Perkes, Talon Purser, Ty Repko, Derrek Roe, Johnathan Solo, Liam Sullivan, Jackson Woodard, Will Worley, Eli Worley.

The team is managed by Nat Roe, with assistant coaches Judd Higgins and Jason Repko.

This is as far as the 11s can go this season. There is no regional tournament.

Cal Ripken 11s

Kennewick American went undefeated in Eugene, Ore., to win the Pacific Northwest Regional tournament for Cal Ripken 11s.

KA won all four of its pool-play games, then beat Meridian, Idaho, 6-0 in the semifinals on Saturday before following it up with a 7-3 championship game win over West Linn, Ore.

Team members are Taron Carlson, Tayten Cissne, Angel Correa, Wyatt Curtis, Dreyson Dimond, Morgan Dodson, Dylan Mamiya, Rowan McCord, Deegan Quesenberry, Karson Rawlings, Trayce Teagle and Hunter VanHollebeke.

Clayton Rawlings is the manager, while Aaron Carlson, Jeremy Dimond and Aaron Teagle are assistant coaches.

Kennewick National was also in the tournament. It went 2-2 in pool play but didn’t make the playoffs.

There is no World Series for this division, so the season ends.

Cal Ripken 10s

The Kennewick Americans went unbeaten to win the Pacific Northwest Regionals tournament in Meridian, Idaho.

With the title, the KA 10s qualified for the Cal Ripken World Series for 10s, which is in Phenix City, Ala.

The series is set for Aug. 1-8.

KA went 4-0 in pool play, then beat Bozeman, Mont., 6-0 in the Saturday semifinals, before stopping Willamette Valley 6-4 in the title game.

KA players are Samuel Crowther, Teryn Curtis, Dallas Doherty, Sebastian Iniguez, Rece McClure, Bradley Parker, Caden Pratt, Gavin Steinshouer, Troy Taylor, Nicholas Wade, Ryan Wade and Bren Woods.

Coaches are Manager Wade, Coach Doherty, Coach Curtis and Coach McClure.

Kennewick American is trying to raise $50,000 for expenses to the series, and the team will be holding a car wash at its field on Olympia Avenue from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 27.

The team will also be taking donations on its Facebook page.

Cal Ripken 9s

The Kennewick Americans also went unbeaten in the Pacific Northwest Regionals in Meridian, Idaho, to win the tournament title.

KA went 4-0 in pool play, then beat Co County, Idaho 12-2 in the Saturday semifinals before routing the Willamette Valley Nationals 15-6 in the championship.

Team players are Tripp Bonderman, Brycen Calderon, Cooper Cissne, Sammy Deleon, Joshue Gilmour, Bruin Gress, Henry Harkins, Trey Holdren, Breken Lindgren, Rafael Martinez, Karson Savage and Aidan Strifert.

Coaches are Manager Bonderman, Coach Harkins, Coach Gress and Coach Gilmour.

This is as far as the 9-year-olds get to go, as there is no World Series.