Elma’s 14 and Under Pony League baseball team advanced to the West Zone Regionals by winning the Northwest Regional Tournament on Sunday in Ravensdale.
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Pool Play
Whatcom 6, Elma 5
Elma Pony 14U came up just short in a tough 6-5 loss to the Whatcom Mudcats in pool play on Friday, falling to a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Despite out-hitting Whatcom 9 to 5, Elma couldn’t hold on to an early lead built by Maycinn Crawford, Connor Olson and Izaiah Clarkston.
Grahm Rupe led the offense with four hits, while Clarkston added two RBIs and three stolen bases.
On the mound, Logan Rothmeyer threw two hitless innings with four strikeouts and Clarkston struck out five in relief.
Elma’s strong performance wasn’t enough to stop the Mudcats’ late rally, as a seventh-inning error tied the game before the Whatcom walk-off win.
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Elma 13, West Seattle 8
Elma rebounded with 13-8 victory over West Seattle Baseball on Saturday.
Elma jumped to an early 6-0 lead in the first two innings, sparked by RBIs from Izaiah Clarkston, Maycinn Crawford and Logan Rothmeyer.
A six-run fifth inning sealed the deal, with key hits from Rothmeyer and Lucas Sample.
Rothmeyer led the team with two RBIs, while five different players tallied hits.
Elma’s aggressive base running was a major factor, racking up 18 stolen bases in the game.
On the mound, Parker Anensen earned the win in relief and Connor Olson picked up the save.
Elma used four pitchers to hold off a late push by West Seattle.
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Elma 9, Maltby 2
Later on Saturday, Elma kept it rolling with a 9-2 win over the Maltby Pony All-Stars.
Izaiah Clarkston had a standout game Saturday, driving in four runs on three hits to lead Elma to a 9-2 victory over the Maltby Pony All-Stars.
Elma built an early lead and never looked back, with Lucas Peterson and Maycinn Crawford contributing on the base paths.
Connor Olson earned the win on the mound, striking out five in just over two innings pitched.
Lucas Sample closed out the game in relief, giving up only one run.
Tyler Tobey added two hits and Elma stole seven bases as a team in a dominant all-around performance.
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Semifinals
Elma 11, Bellingham 0
On Sunday, Elma delivered a statement win with an 11-0 shutout of the Bellingham Giants Black in the tournament semifinals.
Big hits from Tyler Tobey, Logan Rothmeyer and Izaiah Clarkston powered the early lead, with Tobey’s two-run triple as the highlight.
Clarkston added a double in a five-run third inning to finish with two RBIs and two hits.
Grahm Rupe was dominant on the mound, tossing five scoreless innings with nine strikeouts and no walks to earn the win.
Elma racked up eight stolen bases and collected eight hits in a complete team effort.
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Championship
Elma 10, Whatcom 7
In a rematch against Whatcom, Elma rallied from a four-run deficit to win 10-7 in extra innings on Sunday, avenging their earlier loss and winning the tournament title.
Down 5-1 after the first inning, Elma tied the game in the fifth behind a clutch single from Tyler Tobey.
The offense exploded in the ninth, with key hits from Izaiah Clarkston, Maycinn Crawford and Wyatt Branscomb fueling a five-run rally.
Clarkston was dominant in relief, throwing eight innings and striking out seven.
Tobey led at the plate, going 3 for 5, while Crawford drove in three runs.
Elma stole 10 bases, turned two double plays and showed resilience on both sides of the ball to close out a hard-fought win.
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Looking Ahead
With the Pacific Northwest Region title in hand, Elma now advances to the Pony West Zone Tournament in West Covina, California.
A strong showing there would earn them a coveted spot in the 2025 Pony World Series.
As the team prepares for their trip to California, they will be raising funds to help cover travel expenses.
– Submitted article
