MARYSVILLE Though Power Alley fans wore Coca-Cola shirts, their Pepsi opponents proved that they were the real thing when the two Marysville Little League majors teams faced off May 21.
Power Alley entered the game 16-3, leading its six-team division, but two of their losses came against a fourth-place, 10-9 Pepsi team that seems to have their number this season. Pepsi defeated the Bulldogs for the third time 8-7 in an extra seventh inning when Power Alley was unable to answer outfielder Justin Becketts tiebreaking RBI double in the top of the seventh.
Pepsis leadoff hitter Kyle Garton doubled and teammate Billy Day brought him in for a quick lead in the first inning. The team scored three more runs off five walks in the first inning, and the Bulldogs brought in one-handed pitcher Dylan Miller.
Though Miller also scored in the first inning for Power Alley, Pepsi had a five-run lead by the time the Bulldogs were up again in the third inning, thanks in part to a well-executed squeeze play that brought in catcher Matt Knowlton and put outfielder Ryan Carr on base.
Taking advantage of errors, Power Alley put together a four-run rally in the bottom of the third and took a brief 7-6 lead after third baseman Tyler Monahan and shortstop Brayden Hopstad had RBIs in the fifth inning.
Then, a huge triple by Pepsis Day in the sixth made it a tie game again, sending Garton in for his second run. A double play in the bottom of the sixth held the tie into a seventh inning, where Knowlton scored for Pepsi off Becketts game-winning hit.
Miller played nicely for Power Alley on both sides of the ball, throwing some 85 pitches and registering nine strikeouts against Pepsi before being relieved by teammate KJ Brady in the final inning. Miller was 3-for-4 at bat, getting a hit against each of the Pepsi pitchers, Garton, Day and Bryce Minnick.
Day and Garton were also 3-for-4 at the plate for Pepsi.
Power Alley manager Judd Luton reflected on their three-game series against Pepsi this season.
Pepsi is a heck of a ball club, he said. They have one of the best players in town, and they are the only team to consistently beat us this season.
Lutons Power Alley team has done a 180 this year, climbing out of a last-place finish in 2006 to represent the Marysville Little League National division in the Tournament of Champions in Lake Stevens.
The Bulldogs will face their American division rivals Romo Construction in the first round of the double-elimination tournament.
About the May 21 game, Luton added that the kids were excited about coverage by KING 5 news, which added to their excitement about attempting to avenge their two earlier season losses to Pepsi.
Dylan (Miller) rose to the occasion he pitched a great game. It was a tight game up until the end, Luton said.
He gave Pepsi pitcher Minnick, who threw the last four and a half innings, credit for their victory, adding that while Power Alley hits well against the fastball, Minnick has developed a strong curveball that gives him an advantage in the league.
It wasnt frustrating because theyre a very good team, Luton said. They were just battles. They were really close games. The boys didnt hang their heads about it.

At Cedar Field

Pepsi 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 8
Power Alley 1 0 4 0 2 0 0 7