Montesano’s 13-14 year-old Little League team took fourth place in the state tournament after a dramatic win got the Bulldogs to the state semifinal game.

Montesano pulled out a close one against Mill Creek with a 8-7 victory in nine innings on July 17 to keep its state title dreams alive. Monte trailed 6-2 in the seventh and put together a four-run rally to tie the game.

Monte’s Ethan LaRoque stole third base in the ninth inning and swiped home on a pass ball to give the Bulldogs the lead.

Daylon Schroeder helped provide a key insurance run when his RBI single drove in Skylar Bove to give Monte a 8-6 lead going into the bottom of the ninth.

Bove surrendered a run in the bottom half of the inning, but worked his way out of trouble and induced a ground out to short stop Tyce Peterson for the last out of the contest.

Montesano couldn’t follow up the dramatic victory with another win and struggled early against Sno Valley with a 17-0 loss to end its tournament run on a day later.

Monte coach Steve Bove said his team appeared to be tired from travel and playing extra innings the previous night.

“I think our boys were spent from the night before and the several trips to Vancouver,” he said.

Sno Valley eventually fell to North Central 20-5 in the state championship game.

North Central will represent the Washington at the regional tournament in San Jose, California.