North Whidbey turned up the power to zap Central/South Whidbey 10-4 in a loser-out game in the Little League 11/12 district tournament in Sedro-Woolley Monday, July 11.

With the victory, North Whidbey, coached by Justin Ronning, advances to the championship series with Sedro-Woolley. Since Sedro-Woolley defeated North Whidbey 8-7 earlier in the tournament, North Whidbey will need to beat Sedro-Woolley twice to snag a berth in the state tournament. The teams face off at 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday (if necessary) at Sedro-Woolley’s Tesarik Field.

Central/South Whidbey was eliminated with the loss.

North Whidbey bashed 13 hits, including two home runs and three doubles, on the way to the win.

The game was close until North Whidbey exploded for five runs in the final inning.

The fireworks started early. North Whidbey’s Brock Boyer led off the game with a bloop single, then Gage McLeod launched a home run over the center field fence. Back-to-back singles by Will Rankin and Tyler Zenger produced another run, making it 3-0.

From that point, only two of the next 14 North Whidbey batters reached base.

Central/South Whidbey, coached by Kevin Hilton, scored once in the bottom of the first when Hawthorne Wolfe singled and scored on a throwing error.

North Whidbey pitcher McLeod retired eight straight before Central/South Whidbey tied the game with two runs in the fourth inning on singles by Wolfe, Andrew Hilton and Josh Sterba.

North Whidbey took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the fifth inning. With two outs, McLeod singled and Rankin ripped a home run.

Central/South Whidbey picked up a run when Wolfe drove in Scott Hilborn in the bottom half of the inning.

That set up North Whidbey’s five-run sixth. Ethan Abbott got it started with a sharp grounder off the first baseman’s glove. Shawn Day singled, Conor Jerry was hit by a pitch and Marshall Rhew walked to force in one run. With two outs, Rankin walked to push in another run, then Zenger cleared the bases with a double.

McLeod finished the game 3-for-4 with a home run, double and three runs. He also pitched a complete game six-hitter, striking out five, walking one and giving up two earned runs.

While McLeod was the star of the game, several others provided high-wattage results.

Zenger went 3-for-4 with two doubles, and Rankin added single to his home run. Brock Boyer, Jordan Ronning, Abbott, Day and Jerry all singled.

Second baseman Boyer registered the defensive highlight of the game. After making a diving stop on a grounder, he flipped the ball back-handed for a force at second base as Central/South Whidbey was trying to rally in the fifth.

North Whidbey’s Zane Ferguson added a running, sprawling catch in the outfield.

Wolfe went 3-for-3 for Central/South Whidbey and scored two runs, Hilton was 2-for-3 and Sterba singled.

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Hawthorne Wolf slaps one of his three hits in Monday’s game. Photo by Jim Waller.