The Orcutt National Little League 12-year-old All-Stars put up a six spot in the top of the second inning Tuesday.

Orcutt National rode that six spot to the winner’s bracket final of the District 65 12’s Tournament.

Josh Thomas and Kai Earing hit back-to-back home runs to highlight the six-run Orcutt National second, and Orcutt National beat Lompoc 10-3 in a winner’s bracket game on field one at Nipomo Community Park, Nipomo Little League’s home site. Nipomo Little League is hosting the double elimination tournament.

The big second inning fattened the Orcutt National lead to 7-0. Herbie Gerfen singled home Rylan Kelly in the first with the first run of the game.

Orcutt National will play Santa Maria Westside in the winner’s bracket final on field one Thursday at 5 p.m. Westside edged Arroyo Grande Valley 4-3 on field two Tuesday.

The winner of the Orcutt National-Westside game will earn a spot in the championship bracket which begins on field one Monday at 5 p.m.

At press time Wednesday, Arroyo Grande Valley was to play the Orcutt American-Village Hills winner on field one, and Lompoc was to face the Santa Maria Northside-Nipomo winner on field two in Wednesday elimination games at 5 p.m.     

With Tanner Jokela and Patrick Campa on base ahead of him in the top of the second Tuesday, Thomas hit a towering drive that cleared the right field fence by plenty for a three-run home run. Earing lined the next pitch over the left field fence, and the drive left the diamond with plenty of room to spare.

The pitch he hit out “was a fastball,” said Thomas. “I’m a fastball hitter.”

Earing said he is a fastball hitter too, but the pitch he hit after the Thomas homer “was a curve ball.” Earing adjusted to it and blasted the ball out.

Hitting a home run Tuesday wasn’t exactly a new experience for Thomas and Earing this season. Earing hit his eighth home run of the year Tuesday, and Thomas hit his fourth.

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Thomas played for the Orcutt National Reds during the regular season. Earing played for the Orcutt National Braves.

Thomas and Earing had the big blasts, but Orcutt National showed off its deep hitting lineup again Tuesday. 

Nine players had at least one of Orcutt National’s 13 hits. Besides the Thomas three run homer, six other Orcutt National players had an RBI apiece.

Rudy Ojeda had two hits and singled in a run in a three-run Orcutt National sixth. Earing and Nicholas Terrones also finished with two hits.

“Josh and Kai were our Nos. 10 and 11 hitters today,” said Orcutt Academy manager Ray Morawski.

“It doesn’t matter where we put our guys in the batting lineup. Guys one-through-six then (seven-through-13) in the lineup can all produce.”

After the big Orcutt National second inning, Lompoc pitchers held the Orcutt squad scoreless in the third, fourth and fifth. Lompoc got back within range with a three-run fifth.

David Jiminez singled in Van Kapyblowski with the first Lompoc run. Adrian Ramirez scored on a wild pitch then Blaine Mabery singled home Dominick Gonzalez.

Thomas, the third Orcutt National pitcher, came on in the fifth inning. He got the last out of the game in the sixth on a ground ball to Orcutt National second baseman Terrones.

“I pitched a lot during the regular season,” said Thomas. “My regular position is catcher.” Â