State Champs: Mercer Island 9/10 Little League All Stars Win

"The Comeback Kids" might be a fitting title for the 2013 Little League 9/10 Baseball state champions Mercer Island.

The 9- and 10-year-old All-Stars staged not one, but two comebacks in double-elimination tournaments this year to win the Little League Minors state championship on Sunday, July 21 at Windjammer Park in Oak Harbor, defeating Marysville twice, 10-0 and 17-0.

The team came back from a crushing 11-0 defeat to Richland National on July 13 to open the tournament, but came back through the consolation bracket, winning seven straight games to win the title. Mercer Island defeated teams from Sedro Woolley, Riverview (Liberty Lake, WA), Camas, Bainbridge Island and Kent before facing Marysville in the final.

Mercer Island's 9/10 All-Star team also came back through the District 9 tournament consolation bracket, losing 8-3 to Bellevue Thunderbird on June 26 before winning the district title in two rematch games, 8-3 on July 2 and 6-4 on July 3.

Mercer Island's 9/10 All-Stars, organized through the Mercer Island Boys & Girls Club, was the only all-star team from the community this year to advance to the state tournament. The 9/10 All-Stars also won a state title in 2011.

Here's the roster for the 2013 MILL 9/10 Baseball All Stars:

Players: Alex Arron, Nathan Buchan, Tyler Butson, Evan Dickstein, Caiden Fukano, Wesley Ho, Michael Lee, Will MacCormack, Max Malakoff, Jack Mattox, Paul Noone, Rory Shanks, Tripp White

Manager: Peter Noone

Coaches: Mike Dickstein & Andy Shanks