SEALY – Washington County’s 7-year-old Green team of baseball all-stars were reeling on Sunday in a championship matchup against Sealy.

After Sealy came back to force a winner-take-all matchup, the county all-stars entered the fourth trailing 5-1 and in desperation for any positive momentum.

The final four innings saw Washington County bounce back with both timely hits and key defensive plays to earn an 8-5 win and bring a district championship banner home.

A three-run fourth inning put the county all-stars in position to make their comeback. Run-scoring singles from Case Lange and Wyatt Mangan trimmed Washington County’s deficit to two runs before Ryatt Russell earned a two-out RBI double to put the county all-stars within a run.

Washington County manager Brandon Mueller said his team felt down after the first three innings and the events of the day’s first game, which saw Sealy turn a 9-1 deficit into a 12-11 win. However, his boys showed determination to get back in the game.

“The boys never gave up,” he said.

First baseman Braxton Mueller and shortstop Cayson Mund both made good defensive plays as part of a clean defensive inning, sending Washington County back to the plate.

Jace Borgmeyer was the first hero of the day, tying the game in the fifth with a single. Carter Patranella came around to score on Sealy fielding errors. Borgmeyer made his way home after a groundout, giving the county all-stars a 6-5 lead.

Patranella got Washington County out of the fifth defensively by making a great catch on a lineout. He then caught Sealy’s lone runner between the bases by firing to first base to get the third out.

“He has made long throws the whole series, (the) whole tournament,” Mueller said.

Key insurance runs came in the form of RBI singles from Mueller and Jeremy Dickerson. Both players earned an RBI in the winner-take-all game with Mueller also tallying two hits.

Mund again made a calm throw to first for the first out of the sixth. Later on, Patranella got the final out with a great throw to first base on a groundout. Mueller made a great lunge to his right to make the catch and avoid the ball going behind him.

Coach Mueller said the togetherness and willingness of his team to put in preparation prior to the district tournament paid dividends for Washington County.

“We did not miss a day of practice and I think that goes a long ways,” he said. “The boys are alert and in it and wanted to practice and it is a good group. There are no kinks. Everybody is together and has fun together.”

Sunday’s winner-take-all matchup was forced after Sealy came back from a 9-1 deficit to walk off a 12-11 contest against Washington County in the sixth.

The Green team collected 14 hits in the first three innings while keeping Sealy to six hits in its first two offensive frames. Russell made a key unassisted double play to get the county all-stars out of the third.

Sealy picked up two runs in the third and three runs in the fourth while keeping Washington County to one run in the top of the fourth and fifth to enter the bottom of the fifth with a five-run deficit at 11-6.

Washington County got to a two-out spot while allowing just one run in the fifth. However, Sealy got four runs with two away to tie the game at 11-11.

After the county all-stars could not muster a run in the top of the sixth, Sealy put an RBI single into center field with two away to pick up the 12-11 victory.

The first eight hitters of Washington County’s lineup all recorded at least two hits in the day’s first game. Mueller was the only one to record three hits. Lange earned four RBI with his two hits and Dickerson provided two RBI.

Coming back from letting a big lead go away in Game 1 and a slow start in Game 2 to win the district title created plenty of memories for Washington County’s youngest group of all-stars.

“You see the smiles on their faces,” Muller said in the middle of a scene of happy families celebrating the district title on the field. “It is hard to take away or forget about.”

Earlier in the weekend, the White team of 7-year-old county all-stars bowed out after a 12-2 loss to Bellville in the consolation bracket. The team took losses on four straight days to bring its tournament to an end.

Softball

Washington County’s 7-year-old softball all-stars ended its district tournament run on Saturday after an 14-11 loss to Burleson County.

Both teams scored in all four innings, including trading five-run innings in the fourth. Burleson County took a 4-3 lead into the second inning with both teams earning two-run second frames. Burleson County extended its lead over Washington County prior to the fourth after a 3-1 third inning.

Five Washington County all-stars earned multiple hits Saturday morning. Swayzee Schroeder went 3 for 3, scoring twice and driving in one run. Leighton Mund and Lillie Sinclair both earned two RBI with two-hit games.

Washington County earned a Saturday game after defeating Bellville 20-19 on Friday.

The county all-stars and Bellville entered the fourth inning tied at 15-15 after a high-scoring first three innings. Washington County led 10-6 entering the third inning, but left the frame tied at 11-11 after allowing a five-run inning and scoring just one in the third.

Both teams traded five-run innings in the fourth with Bellville earning three runs in the fifth, taking a 19-16 lead into the bottom half.

Washington County produced six straight singles to tie the game at 19-19. Suede Stickler, Maryn Cappeletti and Mund all drove in runs.

After Sinclair provided the last of the county all-stars’ six singles in the inning, a fielder’s choice play allowed Washington County to win.

Sinclair produced a 4 for 4 game, scoring three times and earning one RBI. Emma Luetge, Brooke Henly, Mund and Schroder each tallied three hits. Schroeder drove in four runs, joining Tyler Ogden in the game’s four-RBI club.