Sisters Little Leaguers capture third in district

The Sisters 9- and 10-year-old Little League All-Stars ventured to Redmond for the District 5 Tournament July 1-6 where they won four games, including the third place consolation game.

In qualifying games of the 16-team tournament, they defeated La Pine, 16-5; Hood River, 20-10; and Jefferson County, 20-5; while losing to the eventual district runner-up, Redmond, 16-4.

This early success in their pool earned Sisters a spot in the semi-finals, where they faced a big Hermiston team, which promptly scored five times in the top of the first. But the Outlaws wouldn’t quit, closing the gap to 8-7 after five innings, behind Dillon Witt’s deceptive pitching. Then Hermiston scored three times in the sixth to put the game away, 11-7, in a game that Sisters was a hit or two away from winning.

Hermiston proceeded to pound Redmond, 18-3, to win the district title.

The loss put Sisters in the consolation finals, against the Bend South team that had knocked them out of the tournament last year.

Bend South jumped out to 3-1 lead in the third and looked primed to win a pitchers’ duel. But in the bottom of the fifth, Sisters loaded the bases with one out and Ross Robinson laid down a picture-perfect squeeze bunt that scored one and led to a couple of errant throws. By the time the dust cleared, three runs had been scored, giving Sisters a 4-3 lead.

Then, in the last inning, Nicky Blumm slammed the door on Bend South, striking out the side. Blumm threw a complete game, seven-hitter, fanning 12 and walking no one, as Sisters shocked Bend South and claimed the third-place trophy.

There were many heroes for the Sisters Little Leaguers: Dillon Witt hit .714 on 15 hits; Nicky Blumm hit .680 on 17 hits, led the team in runs and RBI, and struck out 24, walking only two; Joey Morgan hit .524 on 11 hits; Ryan Lahey hit .400 on eight hits; Sam Calarco hit .385 on five hits, with a team-leading 10 walks, and nine RBI; while Tyler Berg hit .333 on three hits and had five walks.

Brandon Pollard, who scored eight tournament runs and knocked in three, came up big in the final game, scoring two of the team’s four runs, including the deciding run.

In addition to his game-winning bunt, Ross Robinson knocked in six runs, had eight walks and made several key defensive plays.

Nick Waters scored four times and hit a booming triple. Keenan O’Hern produced seven runs, while Evan Rickards scored three times and played outstanding defense.

The Sisters team was coached by Brian Witt, Don Pollard, Jason Calarco and Shawn O’Hern.

Coach Witt said, “This was a team that played great fundamental baseball with a lot of heart and proved Yogi Berra right: ‘It aint over until it’s over.’ This was truly a team effort and a great way to end the season.”