After steam rolling East Sacramento on Saturday, 11-1, and defeating San Gabriel Valley on Sunday, 3-1, the Modesto Babe Ruth baseball team edged out Watsonville in the Pacific Southwest Regional Championship game, 5-4.

“The kids really worked hard,” Modesto head coach Bobby Swedberg said. “Watsonville put pressure on us early and our kids answered back.”

Watsonville struck first in the third inning, scoring a run for the lead. Modesto answered back in the fourth when Clayton Miller hit a line drive into center field to score A.J. Derr from third base and tie the game. Modesto allowed another run in the fifth inning before calling Matt Tyler to the mound.

Tyler pitched two innings, allowed one hit and recorded three strikeouts. Tyler’s effectiveness from the hill gave Modesto the opportunity to score two runs off of Connor Torres’ bat in the bottom of the fifth inning and cut Watsonville’s lead by one.

Modesto entered the bottom of the seventh inning trailing, 4-3. Leonard Aue led off the inning with a double. Justin Payne followed with a sacrifice bunt to advance Aue to third base. Two plays later Aue took advantage of a defensive error, sliding into home and tying the game. That’s when Bobby Schauer stepped up to the plate. Schauer knocked a line drive into right field to score the winning run and earn his team the Regional Championship and a spot in the World Series.

“Everyone played their part well and did their job to help us comeback and win,” Swedberg said.

Modesto will not participate in the World Series Tournament which will be held in Weimer, Texas on July 28.