“We went down swinging. We had a couple of close calls that didn’t go our way, but we kept battling back.”

The words came from Davis Little League National coach Paul Welch, happy with his team’s play despite a quick exit from the 10-11-division District 64 tournament.

“They never gave up. We had a lot of fun,” the skipper went on. “We had a good time together the last couple of weeks … and a lot of fun in the last two games.”

On Wednesday against Woodland American, the Nationals dropped an 8-4 decision and were eliminated from the playoffs being held at their home Davis Little League Complex. After a shaky first inning — that put the locals down 4-0 — like the coach said, DNLL battled.

Hits from Yiorgos Callaway, Aeden Entriquez and Cameron Wolfe put two second-frame runs on the board for Davis.

But Woodland stretched its lead to 7-2 with a three-spot in the third.

It could have been worse for DNLL had not shortstop Max Thompson thrown to catcher Callaway, nipping a WALL runner trying to steal home. Eton Tuttle also made a diving stop at first to thwart another Woodland scoring bid.

The defense continued to keep Davis close in the fourth inning …

With the bases loaded and nobody out, Thompson snagged a liner for the first out, then — with the infield in — Thompson fielded a grounder and came home to force another runner before Tuttle made an unassisted putout at first.

Woodland’s Kyle Galart led off the fifth with a single, then scored on winning pitcher Andrew Kindelt’s double. But the Americans’ rally died when Thompson toed the rubber and fanned the next two hitters.

Thompson would come back to strike out the side in the sixth inning, enabling a last-ditch effort by DNLL.

With one out, Matteo Sorrentino reached on an infield hit. Neil Welch walked and Thompson singled, plating Sorrentino. For Thompson, the tournament was his own personal batting cage. The left-handed hitter went 7-for-9 in the two games.

After Tuttle’s deep fly was caught in center, Gavin Schouten laced a single to left, Welch coming home.

Woodland reliever Blake Hutchison came on to get Callaway to ground out — although it looked like the speedy Callaway had beaten the throw from third.

“I think families are ready for their vacations now,” the elder Welch said, still smiling after his team received its participation pins from District 64 director Mike Pappa. “We’re ready to get our summers started.”

Next up for Woodland is another elimination game, this one against Vacaville National at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday on the East Field.

— Reach Bruce Gallaudet at [email protected] or (530) 747-8047

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Davis National 10-11 player Matteo Sorrentino, left, runs toward second base during the locals’ 8-4 loss to Woodland American on Wednesday at the Davis Little League Complex. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

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