The Montesano Little League 10U All-Star team had its dreams of a state title end prematurely after two losses at the Washington Little League State Tournament in Vancouver.

Montesano opened tournament play with a 12-2 loss to Pacific Little League in the first round on Saturday, July 23.

Monte trailed 9-2 after two innings and never recovered in a five-inning, mercy-rule loss.

Madden Maruska led Monte at the plate, going 2-for-2 with an RBI.

Arik Barnes had a double for Montesano.

Trey Gunter took the loss for Montesano, allowing four runs — three earned — on three hits with a strikeout and five walks in two innings pitched.

In the Monday, July 25, elimination game against West Seattle, Montesano took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on RBI singles by Brody Messick, Maruska and Calder Luft.

But West Seattle responded with three runs in the top of the second to tie the game before Monte scratched across a run when Gunter scored on a wild pitch to regain the lead at 4-3 in the bottom of the frame.

West Seattle’s bats got hot in the third, scoring eight runs to put Monte in an 11-4 hole.

After West Seattle scored four more times in the top of the fourth, Montesano scored a run when Austin Maldonado came across the plate on a Messick sacrifice fly, but it was too little, too late as West Seattle closed the door to hand Monte a 15-5 loss in four innings.

Monte managed seven hits in the game led by Gunter, who went 3-for-3 with two runs and two stolen bases from the leadoff spot.

Messick (1-2, R, 2RBIs), Maruska (1-3, R, RBI), Lawyer Neimi (1-1) and Luft (1-1) also had base hits in the game.