SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — It wasn’t a speech, but more of a reminder that paid off in Friday’s semifinal win in the Northwest Regional tournament for the Coeur d’Alene Little League Majors (U12) team.

“Play Cd’A baseball and consider it batting practice.”

Thanks to that, they will get another six innings.

Avrey Cherry and Christopher Reynolds had two hits and two runs batted in each for Coeur d’Alene, which beat Beaverton, Ore., 8-3 to advance to today’s championship game at noon at Houghton Stadium.

Coeur d’Alene will face Billings, Mont. — who beat Coeur d’Alene in Thursday’s semifinal 5-2 — for the right to advance to the Little League World Series next week in Williamsport, Pa.

“We just said to go up and have good at-bats,” Coeur d’Alene coach Sean Cherry said. “If you just play Coeur d’Alene baseball and consider it batting practice, you should be find. Just find the pitch and let the bat hit the ball.”

Braeden Newby struck out eight over four innings for Coeur d’Alene, working out of runners in scoring position in the first two innings.

“He wasn’t as sharp as he normally is,” Cherry said. “I can’t give him enough credit for the way he battled and kept his composure. He just kept competing and just got the job done.”

In the fifth inning, Avrey Cherry had a 10-pitch at-bat that forced the Beaverton starter from the game due to pitch count rules. Four other Beaverton pitchers were used in the final two innings, where Coeur d’Alene added four more runs.

“That was the moment of the game,” said Cherry of Cherry — his son’s — at-bat in the fifth. “We had a couple of runs and he was able to get his pitch count up. After that 10-pitch at-bat, Avrey got a single and they had to start throwing other guys. Avrey just did his job.”

Currie and Chase Saunders scored two runs each for Coeur d’Alene.