The Montesano Junior Little League All-Stars will be playing in the state tournament following a victory in the district championship series on Wednesday in Montesano.

Monte swept the best of three series against defending District 3 and state champion Elma, winning 17-5 on Tuesday followed by a 17-7 victory in six innings on Wednesday.

The two teams put up plenty of offense early on, with Elma taking a 6-4 lead in the top of the third highlighted by RBI singles from Jayson Blackburn, Alex Dryden and Cole Niemi.

But Montesano rallied in the bottom half of the inning, scoring six runs on a Sam Schreiber double, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Tyson Perry, a single by Brody Williamson, a fielder’s choice from Mason Hill, a bases-loaded walk to Colton Wilson and a passed ball that allowed Hill to score.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano’s Mason Hill (12) slides in safe ahead of a tag by Elma’s Cole Gustafson during Montesano’s 17-7 win in the Little League Juniors District 3 Championship on Wednesday in Montesano.

Elma responded with a run on a single by Eliza Courts in the top of the fourth, but Monte’s offense stayed hot, scoring a pair of runs in the fourth and five in the bottom of the fifth to secure the victory.

The win gives Montesano a berth in the state tournament set to begin Saturday, July 16 at South Kitsap Western Senior Field in Port Orchard.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano shortstop Tyson Perry, left, tags out Elma’s Eliza Courts during Montesano’s 17-7 victory on Wednesday at Vessey Field in Montesano. The victory gave the Montesano Junior Little League All-Stars the district title.

Monte beats Yelm to advance to Majors title game

The Montesano Majors All-Stars rallied to pull away late in a 16-5 victory over Yelm on Thursday in Chehalis to advance to the District 3 Championship game on Saturday.

Monte trailed 5-4 in the fourth inning but took the lead on a costly two-run error by the Yelm defense.

Montesano scored eight runs in the fourth to put the game out of reach.

Montesano totalled 13 hits to six for Yelm.

With the win, Montesano advances to the championship series against the winner of an elimination game between Yelm and Capitol set for 6 p.m. Friday in Chehalis.

Montesano needs just one win to claim the district title in the double-elimination tournament.

Game 1 of the championship series is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Saturday with Game 2 set for 6:30 p.m. that evening (if necessary).

District 3 10-12 Majors Tournament scores

Thursday, July 7

Capitol 15, Elma 2