High-School Baseball Championships -- Lindbergh Wins In 12Th, Plays For Title Today

TACOMA - Worn and weary, Tyler Willis relied on will.

And when you've won 19 consecutive high-school baseball games, you find a way to win one more to give your Lindbergh team a chance for a second consecutive Class AA state championship - even if it means pitching 11 exhausting innings.

Willis held top-ranked West Valley of Yakima scoreless until the Eagles scored two runs in the top of the 12th.Saul Hardin then got the final three outs for a 2-0 victory in a semifinal yesterday at Cheney Stadium.

Fourth-ranked Lindbergh (22-2) plays No. 2 Capital of Olympia (22-2) for the state title today at 6 p.m. at Cheney Stadium. Capital crushed Seattle Prep 8-0 yesterday.

West Valley (23-3) and Seattle Prep (20-5) will play a consolation game today at 3 p.m.

Willis, 10-0 this season and 10-0 in 1994, allowed just four hits - one after the third inning - and struck out 15 in what Coach Craig Wrolstad called a "phenomenal" performance. He would have pitched the bottom of the 12th if not for leg cramps that, after four innings, finally got the best of him.

"I didn't want to come out," said Willis, who likely will play first base in the title game. "I'd pitched 11 innings. I wanted to go for it."

Wrolstad already had decided to use Hardin. "I was all ready to pull (Willis) out, but Tyler begged me to go back in," Wrolstad said.

Willis went to the mound for the 12th, but quickly sat down with a cramp before throwing a warmup pitch, drawing a crowd of coaches and a trainer. He grudgingly walked to the dugout, then paced back and forth as Hardin recorded his first save of the season after a leadoff walk.

"I had confidence in Saul," said Willis, who threw 148 pitches. "I knew he could get the job done."

It was a crushing loss for West Valley's Josh Pearce (10-2), who threw 146 pitches and repeatedly pitched himself out of trouble. The Eagles stranded 15 base runners and had runners in scoring position in all but the first, fifth and ninth innings. Lindbergh collected 11 hits, six walks (four intentional) and had three hit batsmen.

Lindbergh almost scored in the seventh. But West Valley center fielder Chris Magruder, considered a pro prospect, threw out Jake Willis at home as he tried to score on a single by Adam Huxhold.

Lindbergh's runs scored on wild pitches after Matt Keck replaced starting catcher Scott Nelson of West Valley in the 12th. After Willis was hit by a pitch to start the inning, courtesy runner T.J. Kauzlarich escaped a rundown and eventually scored the tie-breaking run.

"This proves we can win this thing," Willis said.

Huxhold (5-0) will start tonight against Capital's Ryan Cahan (6-0).

Capital 8, Seattle Prep 0

The Cougars cruised into the final with a 10-hit attack, including three doubles, a triple and Jimmy Smith's two-run home run. Smith, a senior pitcher, had three hits - one fewer than he allowed Seattle Prep. He threw only 68 pitches, 51 for strikes.

Capital has scored 53 runs in four playoff victories.

"If we play to our potential, we know we can win this thing," said Smith (9-1).

The unranked Panthers, fourth last year, struggled on offense and defense. All but one Capital run was unearned.

Shortstop Jared Sandberg, nephew of former Chicago Cub Ryne Sandberg, was 2 for 3 with a triple for Capital.

Seattle Prep pitcher Mike Detrick (8-3), one of 14 players back from last year's team, went the distance, striking out six and walking two.