The Washington C.H. 12-year-old Little League all-stars are heading to the State tournament after what can only be described as a dominating performance in the District Eight tournament.
Washington defeated Dayton Northridge to open tournament play, 29-0 on Wednesday, June 28.
On Thursday, June 30, Washington run-ruled Enon, 10-0.
On Saturday, Washington blanked Fairborn, 14-0 and on Sunday, in the District championship, Washington shutout Enon, 13-0.
Washington will now play in the State tournament in Maumee on Saturday, July 15. Washington will play the champion of District 1 at a time to be determined. The District 1 tournament is still being contested this week.
Tanner Lemaster went the distance on the mound for Washington. Over four innings, he allowed one hit and walked one, striking out eight.
Tyler Tackage went 2 for 3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored. He was hit by a pitch.
A.J. Dallmayer went 2 for 3 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored. He was hit by a pitch.
John Wall went 2 for 3 with a run scored and one RBI and he was also hit by a pitch.
Lemaster went 2 for 3 with one RBI and one run scored; Jonah Waters went 1 for 4 with a run scored; Drew Guthrie was 1 for 2 with a double, one RBI and one run scored.
Brady Armstrong went 1 for 2 with a run scored; Braydon Kettles was 1 for 2 with one run and one RBI; Mason Coffman had one hit and was a pinch-runner, scoring twice; Wesley May and Bryson Sheets both batted once and reached on an error, Cole Little was 0 for 1 and Tate Landrum was 0 for 2.
In the top of the first, with one out, Tackage drilled a solo home run over the scoreboard in left-center field. That would turn out to be the winning run of the game.
Waters singled and Landrum was sent in as a pinch-runner for the catcher.
Dallmayer then smacked a two-run home run to make it 3-0, Washington.
Armstrong singled and Kettles struck out, but reached safely on a passed ball.
Lemaster singled, scoring Armstrong.
May reached on an error after Coffman, running for Lemaster, stole second.
Kettles and Coffman scored on the error.
Wall followed with an infield hit, but the next batter was retired to end the inning.
In the bottom of the first for Enon, Matt Major singled to center. It would be Enon’s only hit of the game.
Washington added two runs in the top of the second.
Dallmayer had a one-out single and moved up a base on an error.
Guthrie doubled to make it 7-0.
After the second out, Kettles singled, scoring Guthrie.
Washington scored three runs in the third.
Wall was hit by a pitch with one out.
Wall went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Tackage.
After the second out, Dallmayer was hit by a pitch.
Sheets reached on an error that allowed Tackage and Dallmayer to score to make it 11-0.
Coffman led off the fourth with a bunt single and Lemaster singled to left.
The runners advanced on a passed ball that allowed Coffman to score.
Wall singled, scoring Lemaster.
Tackage was hit by a pitch, but the next two batters were retired.
Lemaster kept an average of two strikeouts per inning in the fourth to close out the game.
“I’m very proud of how the kids played,” Washington C.H. manager Jason Waters said. “They played together as a team and everyone contributed.
“I appreciate the support from my parents,” Waters said. “I couldn’t do it without them. And my assistant coaches, Greg Wall, Todd Tackage and Brad Guthrie, have been invaluable to me in getting the team ready.
“The kids worked hard,” Waters said. “They wanted to win this District, but I think our ultimate goal still lies ahead. We want to win some games at the State. We’ll see what happens. We’re excited about our chances.”
Last year, this group went to State and went 0-2.
“We played the defending State champions in the first game, Canfield, who won it again last year,” Waters said. “And we lost to Mount Vernon by a couple of runs.
“This team has really improved, both in pitching and hitting,” Waters said. “We’ve worked very hard over the last year and played against a lot of great competition. I think it’s helped us prepare to where we can compete against anyone in the State in this final 12.”
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