Mercer Island advances to Little League World Series

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Saturday was Mercer Island starting pitcher William Mansfield's 13th birthday. His father, assistant coach Brock Mansfield, told him one way or another it was going to be memorable.

Boy, was it.

William Mansfield, displaying poise beyond his years, and Mercer Island throttled Parrish Little League of Salem, Ore., 8-3 in the Northwest Region title game. The victory came before an estimated 6,000 fans at Al Houghton Stadium and a national television audience on ESPN.

The victory sent the jubilant Mercer Island boys and their maroon-clad horde of fans to the Little League World Series, which begins Friday in Williamsport, Pa.

"I'm ecstatic," Mercer Island manager Steve Stenberg said. "I'm in disbelief. Our district was very challenging, and after we won that we just said were playing bonus baseball."

Relief pitcher Brandon Lawler relieved Mansfield to start the sixth inning and retired Oregon in order. After the final out was recorded, the revved-up Mercer Island boys jumped up and down en masse on the first-base line and then tumbled into a big dog pile.

Mansfield pitched five innings, allowing four hits and three runs, none earned. He struck out 11 and walked one.

Afterward, Mansfield said he was looking forward to getting his birthday present from his grandmother, Jackie Mansfield of Seattle, and then watching a replay of the game.

"The [ESPN] cameras were different and they made me a little nervous, but they were kind of cool, too," Mansfield said. "I had trouble throwing strikes at first, but then I started getting my fastball and curve over."

Mercer Island is the fifth team from Washington to win the Northwest Region and the eighth overall from the state to advance to Williamsport since 1957.

The team will meet the winner of Monday's Mid-Atlantic Region championship Friday at Volunteer Field.

Josh Stenberg, son of manager Steve Stenberg, had a red-faced moment in the first inning when he was called out for missing first base on an apparent double. But he atoned for it in the fourth inning when his clutch, two-out single gave his team a 4-3 lead.

"I wanted to do something to make up for [the mistake]," Josh Stenberg said.

"It's tough being the coach's son," Steve Stenberg said. "But Josh kept battling and came through."

Josh Stenberg, Michael Bantle and Max Hibbert paced Mercer Island with two hits each.

Mercer Island had a considerably tougher time in the regional championship game than in five previous victories in San Bernardino, all won via the 10-run mercy rule.

"We expected Oregon to play us tough," Steve Stenberg said. "They didn't back down. It's tough to beat any team twice in one week."

Oregon pitcher Alex Alvarado allowed seven hits and five runs (four earned) in four innings.

Information in this article, originally published August 16, 2009, was corrected on August 17. A photograph sent by the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via the AP contained a caption error. A player identified as Aiden Plummer should be Keegan Ogard.