Union-Bulletin

HOOD RIVER - The Milton-Freewater 9-10-year-old Little League softball team is defending its state championship at 8 a.m. Wednesday after defeating Forest Grove, 3-2, in 10 innings Monday.

Milton-Freewater will play the winner of the Forest Grove-Hood River game played this morning. Milton-Freewater defeated Hood River, 14-0, earlier in the tournament.

"It wasn't one player that did it, it was a whole team effort," M-F manager Kelly Hahn said. "They did what they needed to do. This (Forest Grove) was a tough team. They were matched up with us."

M-F opened scoring when Mallory Copeland walked in the fourth inning, and then stole second. She advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on Micha Fortune's single.

Fortune then stole second and third, and scored on a passed ball to make it 2-0.

Forest Grove tied it up in the bottom of the fourth, and it was a pitchers' duel into the 10th. Allexus Shelton then singled for M-F, Copeland was hit by a pitch and Shelton stole third. Shelton then scored on a passed ball.

"Even when they scored runs we didn't panic," Hahn said. "When it came down to the end, we got it done."

M-F 000 200 000 1 - 3 4 2

Forest Grove 000 200 000 0 - 2 3 1

Copeland, Heckman (8) and Fortune, Copeland (8).

HR - none.

Hits - M-F: Slusarenko, Shelton 2, Fortune. FG: Snyder 2, McCurt.