Lobos: Lynden advances to regionals in Eugene

Continued from B1 innings and got the save.

e Lobos upset Moses Lake 6-3 to advance to the 11U state championship game where they saw Port Angeles.

James Spoelstra was the starting pitcher for the Lobos in the championship game and spun a gem. He went four innings of shut-out ball to help carry Lynden to victory.

Lynden scored three runs in the second and seven runs in the fourth to mercy rule Port Angeles.

Hersom hit the walk-o to bring in Freeman and the Lobos grabbed hold of the championship crown.

"Port Angeles had kind of shut everybody else down fairly well, and I think we were able to recoup and, just went after it," Dan Vander Kooi said. "It was just really cool to see the boys compete."

Dan Vander Kooi said he could go down the line of his whole roster and every kid contributed to their run at the state tournament.

Additionally, Dan Vander Kooi said one of the cooler parts of the tournament was the feedback he got from opposing parents about the Lobos's sportsmanship.

"It was just really cool to get those comments that re ect positively upon our organization and even our commu- nity," Dan Vander Kooi said. "I told the boys that after the game, I said, 'Hey a state championship is awesome, but the fact that multiple teams and parents and coaches texted me after the tournament saying that they were so glad a classy team won.' at was really cool for me as a coach and a parent." e Lobos will head to Eugene, Oregon, to play in the Cal Ripken regional tournament with teams from Oregon, Idaho and Montana. ose games will be held on July 20-22 and the format will be similar to the state tournament with pool play.

"You don't really know a whole lot about these teams. We don't know how they match up, but we're just going go down there and try to play Lobos baseball, smile and have fun and whatever happens happens," Dan Vander Kooi said. e 10U Lynden Lobos were also at the state tournament and reached the state championship game but could not close it out, losing 5-1. e 9U Lynden Lobos did not reach the semi nal level of the tournament.

On Monday, July 17, the 11U Lynden Lobos will be riding through downtown Lynden and the Fairway Center on a r truck to celebrate their championship win. Come out and support the youth baseball team at 4 p.m.