Whatcom Americans open 11U regional with victory over Kennewick

Fresh off winning the Cal Ripken Baseball 11U North Washington state championship, the Whatcom Americans started pool play in the Pacific Northwest Regional with a 5-1 victory over the Kennewick Nationals on Thursday, July 21, in Meridian, Idaho.

“We’ll take it,” coach Bill Hatchett said in a phone interview. “At this level, everyone is a state champion and everyone is really good.”

The Americans, who improved to 29-0, got a combined two-hitter from Landen Hatchett and Clayton O’Larey✔. Each threw three innings and neither allowed an earned run. Landon Hatchett did not allow a hit and struck out three, while O’Larey allowed two hits and struck out four.

Andrew James had Whatcom’s biggest hit, belting a two-out, two-run homer in the fifth to open up what was a 3-1 ballgame.

In their second game Thursday, the Americans lost to tournament host Meridian 12-4. They will wrap up pool play with games on Friday, July 22, against West Linn, Ore., at 9:30 a.m. PDT and Belgrade, Mont., at 2:30 p.m. PDT. The top two teams from each five-team pool will advance to a tournament semifinal on Saturday, July 23.

This story was originally published July 21, 2016 at 12:44 PM with the headline "Whatcom Americans open 11U regional with victory over Kennewick."