Three runs in the final inning propelled the North Whidbey Little League Minor Softball team to a 6-5 win over Sedro-Woolley and into the state tournament.

The win in the District 11 championship game Friday, June 15, at Volunteer Park earned North Whidbey a sweep of the best-of-three series and a berth in the state 9/10 tournament, which begins July 7 in Spokane.

Central Whidbey, coached by Brian Wasinger, used aggressive base running to erase a 5-3 deficit in the top of the sixth inning, scoring three runs to take the lead.

With one out, Olivia Aranguri-Plummer and Joelle Hasler walked and Emily Hills was hit by a pitch. All came around to score as Central Whidbey combined passed balls, wild pitches and stolen bases to manufacture runs.

North Whidbey pitcher Reese Wasinger made the one-run lead hold up in the bottom of the sixth by striking out the side; the final out came with a runner at third base.

Wasinger struck out 14 and pitched a two-hitter.

North Whidbey scooted to a 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second innings.

Mia Regan led off the game with a walk and scored on Piper Lanning’s double.

In the second, Aranguri-Plummer walked and scored to make it 2-0.

Sedro-Woolley tied the game in the bottom of the second, then North Whidbey regained the lead, 3-2, in the third inning using the formula that worked in the first inning.

Regan walked and scored on Lanning’s triple.

Sedro-Woolley moved ahead 5-3 with two runs in the bottom of the third and another in the fourth, setting up North Whidbey’s late heroics.