Anacortes broke open a close game with an 11-run sixth inning to defeat North Whidbey 21-13 in a Major Little League district tournament elimination game at Windjammer Park.

The game was suspended in the sixth inning because of darkness Wednesday, July 10, and finished Thursday.

Anacortes led by only one run, 10-9, going into the top of the sixth and then exploded for 11 runs. The winners had only two hits in the big inning but took advantage of seven walks, a hit batter and several errors.

Anacortes jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, then North Whidbey, coached by Will Thayer, countered with three runs in its half. Walks to Maurice Walker and Coop Cooper got things going, and then Nikko Gonzales slashed a single to keep the rally alive.

Anacortes scored once in the top of the second and two more times in the third to go up 5-3.

North Whidbey knotted the game with two runs in the bottom of the third behind base hits by Walker and Gonzales.

After Anacortes tallied twice in the fourth, North Whidbey regained the lead, 8-7, with three runs in the bottom half of the inning thanks to walk to Hunter Burgess and hits from Parker Chaquette and Gavin Gemmell.

Anacortes scored three times in the fifth, and North Whidbey got one back on hits by Daniel Richey and Meyer Brayden.

Then came Anacortes’ 11-run sixth. North Whidbey scored four times in the bottom of the sixth, but it wasn’t nearly enough to grab the win. Dylan Ebersberger walked twice in the inning; Richey, Burgess and Chaquette once each; and Gonzales and Easton Burton delivered doubles.

North Whidbey catcher Meyer Brayden receives a pitch. (Photo by John Fisken)