The Vancouver Cardinals and Vancouver Mavericks remained alive in the American Legion AAA state championship with wins Tuesday in Anacortes and Bellingham.
Ryan Pitts scored the game’s only run on a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the 11th inning as the Cardinals beat Port Angeles Wilder 1-0 in Bellingham.
The Cardinals advance to play Bellingham in a loser-out game at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The winner of that game will face the Kennewick Outlaws later Wednesday for the Bellingham bracket championship.
Pitts started the rally with a one-out single and went to third on an errant pickoff throw.
Nick Laurenza dropped down a bunt and Pitts scored the game-winner.
Alex Miller threw 10 shutout innings, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out five.
Josh Mansur pitched a scoreless 11th inning and earned the win.
Jacob Trupp went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI and Andrew Gulliford pitched seven innings of two-hit ball as the Mavericks eliminated the Spokane Bandits 6-1.
The Mavericks will face Lakeside Recovery at 4 p.m. Wednesday in Anacortes in an elimination game for the Mavericks. If the Mavericks win, the two teams will meet again later Wednesday for the Anacortes bracket championship.
Trupp’s double in the second inning sparked a three-run rally for the Mavericks.
Garrett Moen’s second sacrifice fly of the game and Riley McCarthy’s two-run single fueled another three-run rally in the fourth.
Gulliford allowed one earned run on two hits, while striking out eight and walking two for the Mavericks.
