Hazel Dell Metro to face Montana in Babe Ruth regional semifinal

CAMAS — An eight-run first inning was all the Hazel Dell Metro Babe Ruth Baseball 15-year-olds needed in securing the top seed from their pool at the Pacific Northwest Regional on Saturday at Louis Bloch Park.

HDM beat Kelso 14-3 in six innings to win the National Division at 4-0, with Kelso finishing second at 3-1.

Jake Rumble stepped into emergency pitching duty when HDM’s schedule starter suffered a gash to his forehead before the game even started.

HDM manager Scott Binder praised his pitcher’s efforts for coming in on short notice and throwing a five-hit complete game with six strikeouts.

“Scoring eight runs in the first inning also helped take the pressure off,” Binder said.

Rumble helped himself out by going 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI.

HDM pounded out 15 hits in the game shortened by the 10-run mercy rule. Cole Sheretz was 3 for 3, Alex Brady was 2 for 4 with a double and three RBI, and Jasper Rank, Sam Lauderdale and Derek Mettler each had two hits and an RBI.

HDM will play in the 1 p.m. semifinal on Sunday against Glacier, Mont., a rematch of last year’s semifinal.

Kelso will play in the 10 a.m. semifinal against Ephrata (4-0).

The winners play in the championship game at 5 p.m. The champ will advance to the Babe Ruth World Series for 15-year-olds, Aug. 13-20 in Williston, N.D.

Ephrata 5, Camas-Washougal 2 — The tournament host lost its final pool play game to undefeated Ephrata, and then lost out on the semifinals through a tiebreaker.

Carter Sutton and Grant Heisner both had two hits, a double and scored a run for Camas-Washougal. Shane Jamison had two hits and an RBI, and Kirk Brown and Cameron Ford each had a hit and an RBI.

13-15 PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

At Louis Bloch Park, Camas

National Division Pool

W L

Hazel Dell Metro 4 0

Kelso 3 1

North Bend, Ore. 2 2

Riverton, Wyo. 1 3

Latah County, Idaho 0 4

American Division Pool

W L

Ephrata 4 0

Glacier, Mont. 2 2

Camas-Washougal 2 2

Calgary 2 2

The Dalles, Ore. 0 4

Saturday’s Games

Calgary 8, Glacier, Mont. 7

Riverton, Wyo., 13, Latah County, Idaho 5

Hazel Dell Metro 14, Kelso 3

Ephrata 5, Camas-Washougal 2

Sunday’s Games

Semifinals

Ephrata vs. Kelso, 10 a.m.

Hazel Dell Metro vs. Glacier, Mont., 1 p.m.

Championship

Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.