12 Year Old All Stars                                                          

Game Summary 

Game 1:  

Pacific 8
Alderwood 0

Our Pacific 12 year olds got off to a great start in their District 1 All-Star tournament this morning at Mukilteo.  The team was solid in all areas of the game.  The pitching was outstanding with Ryan Budnick throwing a complete game no-hitter, with 13 strikeouts in the shutout.  The only base runner Ryan allowed was a hit batsmen, the second batter of the game!  Our defense did not have to do much today but when they did they were up to the challenge.   Our hitting was another highlight of the game for us.  We didn't get anything going in the first inning offensively, but then the floodgates opened in the second and third inning.  With two outs Ethan Coffey got us going with a 2 run HR and Tyler McGuire hit a solo shot right after that. A walk and four consecutive singles later led to three more runs in the third inning.  Everybody on the team put the ball in play, and the Pacific scoring was capped in the fifth inning by a Matt Hirsch 2 run HR.  A few of the big hitters were JJ Peterson (2-4 2B 2Runs), Matt Hirsch (2-4 HR 2RBI), Christopher Jenkins (2-3 RBI), Ethan Coffey (1-1 HR, HBP 2RBI), Tyler McGuire (1-1 HR RBI),  Conor O'Neill (1-1), Josh Freimark (1-1).  In all, we got 12 hits as a team with nine players getting at least one hit. 

Game 2 

North Mukilteo 5
Pacific 2

In a very well played little league baseball game the Pacific 12 Year Olds lost a tough one today to North Mukilteo.  Matt Hirsch pitched a great game today allowing only four hits and striking out four.  Three of those hits occurred in the last inning.  Give the pitcher for North Mukilteo credit as well. he threw hard and threw well.  We were limited to only five hits.  Matt helped himself out in the top of the first by hitting a long home run to centerfield to put us up 1-0.  Pacific then tacked on another run in the top of the 5th inning making it 2-0.  Conor O'Neill reached on a fielder's choice, Jonathon Smith doubled to the gap, then Conor scored on an error by the shortstop on a hard hit ball by Alex Hull.  Matt shut them out again in the fifth while we went down quickly in the top of the 6th stranding a lead off single.  In the bottom of the 6th we hurt ourselves a few times after it started off well with a fly out to right, plus there was a questionable call.  We then hit the next batter and the batter after that singled.  The lead off hitter then bunted and Hirsch made a great play to force the runner at third for the second out.  The next batter reached on an error thereby loading the bases.  That brought up the pitcher who singled sharply to centerfield tying the score at 2-2.  He got caught in a rundown between 1st and 2nd and was tagged by Hirsch.  Unfortunately, the umpires did not see the play that way or at all.  He was ruled safe.  We should have been heading to extra innings.  The next batter was the clean up hitter and he hit a walk off 3 run home run to right center field knocking Pacific to the loser's bracket.  It was a tough way to lose, especially being so close to winning.  As much as it's tough, as I told the boys, now we get to play a lot of baseball.

Game #3
Pacific 11
North Everett 2
Pacific's 12 year olds got back in the win column today with an 11-2 victory over North Everett.  Pitching and defense were the name of the game today with Alex Hull throwing a complete game gem striking out 6 and walking none.  Alex was outstanding on the mound scattering 4 hits with the only two blemishes being an RBI double and a solo home run.  Pacific's defense was perfect today committing no errors.  Pacific pounded out nine hits with several players getting in on the act.  The runs for Pacific came in two big innings, the 1st and the 6th.   The 1st inning scoring started with Ryan Budnick driving in the first run with a single.  That was followed by a Christopher Jenkins 2 RBI double.  Max Bennett then capped the scoring with a big 3 run home run.  In the 6th inning Ryan Budnick had another RBI single, Max Bennett had a 3 run double and JJ Peterson had a 2 run double to cap the scoring.  The big hitters for Pacific were Max Bennett (2-4 2B, HR, 6 RBI), Josh Freimark (2-3 2B), Ryan Budnick (2-3 2 RBI), Christopher Jenkins (1-1 2B, 2HBP, 2 RBI), and Matt Hirsch (1-2 BB, HBP). 

Game #4
Pacific 10
South Snohomish 6
The Pacific 12 year old's continued their winning ways this morning with a 10-6 victory over South Snohomish.  Pacific went up 2-0 in the 1st inning on a walk by Alex Hull, a single by Matt Hirsch, a sacrifice fly by Ryan Budnick, and an RBI double by Christopher Jenkins.  The big inning fro Pacific was the 4th when they put 5 runs on the board with two outs!  Conor O'Neill and Jonathon Smith got on via errors and then Josh Freimark had a 2 run double.  Alex Hull then reached base getting hit by a pitch and Matt Hirsch finished the scoring that inning with a 3 run home run that was a shot.  Pacific's scoring was capped off in the top of the 6th inning with an Alex Hull single, a Matt Hirsch double, and Ryan Budnick's 2 RBI double.  The big hitters today were Matt Hirsch (3-3 2B, HR 3 RBI), Ryan Budnick (2-3 2B, 3 RBI), Alex Hull (1-2 HBP) and Josh Freimark (1-2 2B, RBI).  Our defense was shaky this morning committing three errors, and the umpiring left a little to be desired as well.  Our pitching was pretty solid again as well.  Ryan Budnick started and after a rocky beginning he settled in allowing only two hits, walking five and striking out 8.  Max Bennett pitched 2 solid innings in relief striking out 3, walking one.  In an effort to conserve Max's pitch count for the long haul in the loser's bracket, Matt Hirsch came in to relieve in the 6th inning, threw one pitch, inducing a double play ground ball to end the game.  After the rocky beginning the Pacific boys settled down, came back and won after playing much better.

Game #5
Lake Stevens 4
Pacific 3
Well, unfortunately all good things do come to an end and this good Pacific 12 year old All-Star team's run did tonight.  We faced a very tough left handed pitcher tonight who did a great job against us.  He threw very hard and kept us off balance with off speed pitches as well.  We were held to only four hits tonight, which is not our typical hitting performance.  The four players who got the hits tonight were Alex Hull, Ryan Budnick, and Christopher Jenkins with singles and Matt Hirsch with a long three run home run.  We had our chances with other base runners, but we could not get the key hit at the right time.  Matt Hirsch got the start on the mound tonight and pitched pretty well.  A big first inning by Lake Stevens was all Matt allowed.  A lead off single, a walk and a 3 run home run by the first three batters got Lake Stevens on the board and another solo homer  in the first capped all of the Lake Stevens scoring for the night.  In all, Matt went 4 1/3 innings, striking out 8 and walking two.  Riley Bykonen pitched the last 2/3 of an inning allowing one single and striking out two.  Pacific's 3-2 record allowed them to finish 5th in District 1 out of 16 teams.  It was not where we expected or wanted to be but a good run none the less.  In summary, it's been a good long run for this group of players over the last three years.  Most of the players were the same over the years with us adding key players here and there along the way and all performed very well over the years.  As a team they played in two district championships out of three years, winning last year as 11's and finishing 4th in state.  Each and every player on these teams for the last three years should be very proud of all they have accomplished.  Good luck to all of you in your future baseball careers.  I would like to thank everyone at Pacific for all of your support for these players and teams over the years!  Thank You!

Roster

Max Bennett - Coldwell Banker Bain
Ryan Budnick - Windermere Edmonds
Riley Bykonen - Cochran Electirc
Ethan Coffey - Coldwell Banker Bain
Josh Freimark - Point B
Matt Hirsch - Wilcox Construction
Alex Hull - Windermere Edmonds
Chirstopher Jenkins - Point B
Tyler McGuire - Meridian
Conor O'Neil - Meridian
JJ Peterson - Windermere Edmonds
Brad Rice - Cochran Electric
Jonathon Smith - Meridian