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

On Sunday, Mercer Island Little League's . On Monday, it was the nine- and 10-year-olds' turn.

The MILL 9/10 All-Stars defeated the Federal Way National LL, 8-5 in the state championship game on July 25 in Redmond. The Mercer Island team went a perfect 10-0 in District 9 and state tournament play, repeating the 9/10 All-Star state title first earned in 2007.

"I think the future is looking bright (for Mercer Island Little League)," said 9/10 All Stars Coach Keenan Conder.

In the July 25 State Championship Game in Redmond, Mercer Island and Federal Way National traded leads in a close game and Mercer Island tied-up the game in the 4th inning. Mercer Island pounded out 13 hits for the game and added runs in the 3rd and 4th innings and two key insurance runs in the fifth behind clutch hitting of Greg Fuchs (3 for 4), Andrew Jenkins (3 for 4), Quinn Zakahi and Cole Miller. Fuchs also turned in a strong pitching effort in relief holding Federal Way scoreless over 4.1 innings. Closing pitcher Carson Sandwith struck out the final batters to give Mercer Island an 8-5 win and the state title.

Overall, the Mercer Island 9/10 All Stars collected ten or more hits in every game except one, belted eight home runs and compiled a team batting average of over .400 in outscoring its opponents 106 to 28. In the state tournament, the pitching staff of Andrew Jenkins, Liam Dammeier, Greg Fuchs and Carson Sandwith scattered 18 hits over five games and compiled an ERA of 2.89.

The state title is the top honor for the 9/10 and 10/11 age division in Little League play, which is open to boys and girls age 9-12. The 11/12 All-Stars, also called the Little League "Majors", can play their way into the Little League World Series held in August in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. .

"A lot of this is based on the work of (former coaches) Brock Mansfield and Steve Stenberg," Conder said. "They really established the program, the drills and the training — the things you have to do to become a top-program."