The Glacier U14 All-Stars just missed out on a trip to the Babe Ruth Baseball World Series after battling through a tough bracket at the regional tournament in The Dalles, Ore. Glacier finally fell in a heartbreaker 8-9 to the Twin Cities, of Centralia, Wash., in the final inning of the championship game on Aug. 6. 

“The kids played hard and left everything on the field,” coach Brent Wetsch said. “We gave it a run.”

In the championship game, the Glacier All-Stars were leading 8-5 but gave up four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“They hit the ball and hit the gaps,” Wetsch said about Centralia. “It’s just the way it went.”

Chris Park and Jessie Walburn were 3-for-4 in batting to lead the team.

“Our guys played well and worked hard,” Wetsch said. “I’m really proud of all of them. Their sportsmanship was top notch and they represented Montana well.”

The Glacier All-Stars lost their opening game in the series on Aug. 1 to Lewis & Clark, of Lewiston, Idaho, by 13-9 but bounced back to win their next three games.

They defeated Tri-Cities, the team they met again in the championship game, by 9-6 on Aug. 3, followed by a 8-1 win over South Coast Oregon, of Coos Bay, on Aug. 3 and a 4-3 win over The Dalles on Aug. 5.

They advanced to the championship game by defeating Oregon SWAT, of Keizer, Ore., by 7-3 on Aug. 6. Luke May led the Glacier All-Stars, going 3-for-3. The team had solid pitching by Colten Parker, Jonny Sapa and AJ Wetsch.

The club ended regional play 4-2.

The local team were back-to-back Montana state champions going into the regional series held in The Dalles, Ore.

Wetsch said he expects the team will be back next season, gunning for a trip to the World Series in the U15 league.

Team members include Luke May, Matt LaGrandeur, Chris Park, Ty Murphy, Brooks Krause, Jesse Walburn, AJ Wetsch, Colten Parker, Greyson Bistodeau, Jonny Sapa, Tristin Steinwand and Jed Nagler, along with coaches Brent Wetsch, Eric May and Blair LaGrandeur.