Sun Devils finish third

Franklin Pierce 20

Moses Lake 14

SPOKANE - Following an opening round loss at the 2008 Washington State American Legion Baseball Junior A championship tournament, the Moses Lake Sun Devils rebounded for a third place finish Wednesday afternoon despite a 20-14 loss to Franklin Pierce.

The Sun Devils fell behind early when Franklin Pierce scored three runs in the top of the first inning.

Moses Lake responded in the bottom of the first by scoring eight runs to take an 8-3 advantage.

Franklin Pierce tied the game at 8-8 after two innings of play.

After a scoreless third inning, the Sun Devils scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 10-8 lead.

Franklin Pierce rallied for five runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to take a 16-10 lead.

The Sun Devils scored a single run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Franklin Pierce lead to 16-11.

Franklin Pierce scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a commanding 20-11 lead heading into Moses Lake's final at bat.

Moses Lake scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but that would not be enough to over take Franklin Pierce.

After finishing the tournament with a 3-2 record, Moses Lake manager Quintz Whitaker said he was proud of his team's performance in Spokane.

"I am real proud of the way the kids battled," he said. "They stepped up. They showed pride and heart this week."

Whitaker said his team performed well, but needs more experience.

"They competed," he said. "They just need more seasoning."

The future is bright for the Sun Devils, and Whitaker said he appreciates the hard work and dedication it took to get his team to the state tournament.

"I appreciate the time past coaches and parents have spent working with these kids," he said. "These kids have a bright future."