By Tim Roach
SNOQUALMIE — The Sequim Junior Little League fastpitch team won the state championship thanks to a dramatic two-run home run by Ashley Pearson in the top of the ninth inning against South Everett.
After losing to South Everett 4-2 on Wednesday, Sequim bounced back to win 8-7 in nine innings Thursday.
In a tournament marred by the Tuesday death of Sequim team member KayDee Campbell, the Sequim team persevered to honor its teammate.
“After her first strikeout in the second inning, pitcher Michelle (Balliett) turned to her father (Sequim assistant coach Mike Balliett) and said ‘That was for KayDee,”‘ said Sequim head coach Lorie Forshaw after the game.
Campbell, a 13-year-old outfielder, died Tuesday afternoon of injuries suffered in a car wreck on state Highway 169 in Maple Valley after last Saturday’s tournament game.
Sequim finishes with a 5-1 record in the tournament and will move on to play next at the 2003 Junior Softball Division Series in Portland, Ore., starting Saturday.
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The rest of the story appears in the Friday/Saturday PDN.