Pettit, Connolly lead Sandpoint to dramatic win

SANDPOINT — Preston Pettit spun a complete game two hitter, and Sandpoint once again came from behind to win, downing West Valley of Eagle 2-1 on Saturday to earn the Idaho Juniors All-Star state championship at War Memorial Field.

Sandpoint now advances to the eight team Western Regional Championships, starting July 29 in Vancouver, Wash.

After scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the opener 3-2 on Friday night, Sandpoint once again found itself trailing West Valley, this time 1-0 in the sixth inning of the best two-out-of-three series.

Seth Bateman got things started with a grinding 12 pitch at bat to draw a walk, then stole second base. Brady Bateman then laid down a perfect base hit bunt down the third base line, advancing his brother to third. After a strikeout and flyout, Garrett Connolly had a clutch two-out base hit up the middle, tying the game at 1-1.

Chris Sabin kept the rally going with a slow roller down the third base line that went foul before rolling back fair, driving in Brady for the go-ahead run.

Pettit, who also had a double in the game, got the first two outs of the seventh inning before things got dicey. A bloop base hit, followed by a throwing error, appeared to tie the game at 2-2. However, Sandpoint appealed that the baserunner hadn’t reached second base when the ball was overthrown, and the umpires sent the runner back to third, taking the tying run off the board.

Pettit then induced a pop up for the final out, putting the finishing touches on a tightly-contested, dramatic two-game state championship.

The Sandpoint team will need to raise more than $3,000 to make the trip to the Western Regionals, and will be holding a fundraising car wash on Friday, July 25, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Super 1 in Sandpoint, and will also be holding a bake sale at Walmart in Ponderay over the weekend.

Any area businesses that would like to help support the team can call Sandpoint Little League commissioner Tommy Groff at 255-9342.