Baseball all-star teams still alive for a chance to go to state.

When the end to a season comes, it’s always hard to say goodbye.

But that’s what the Bainbridge Little League Major All-Stars were forced to do after their 7-1 loss to the East Jefferson/South Jefferson/Port Townsend All-Stars Thursday in the District 2 softball tournament at Strawberry Field.

East Jefferson loaded the bases in the first inning on two walks and a hit batter with one out, but only one run was scored on a passed ball.

Pitcher Kayla Estes got out of the jam by getting a pop out and a strikeout.

Bainbridge tied the game in the third when Lauren Easley reached on an error, then advanced to second on a fielder’s choice.

She later scored on a groundout by Sarah Muir.

East Jefferson took over in their half of the third when they scored four runs off of a double and a triple.

They added another run in the fourth on a base hit and one in the fifth on a groundout.

Meanwhile, Bainbridge put runners on base, but were held to zero hits.

They put runners on in the top of the sixth on a walk and a fielder’s choice, but the East Jefferson pitcher got out of trouble with a strikeout and a groundout.

Manager Jennifer Easley said she was impressed by the East Jefferson defense, most notably their second baseman, who made five putouts for the game.

“That second baseman took away at least two (hits),” she said.

Despite the loss that keeps them at home for the summer, Easley said she was well-pleased with how the team kept up the fight, even after scoring 12 runs in their last at-bat yet still losing against East Jefferson in Sunday’s 18-17 barnburner.

“I couldn’t have been prouder of them,” she said. “This is such a fun group.

“We went out for ice cream afterwards (on Sunday) and they were playing ‘Red Light, Green Light’ in the parking lot. The loss didn’t affect them at all.”

Easley also said she had a lot of fun coaching what she felt was a “team” in every sense of the word.

“I was kind of a latecomer to even saying yes to this,” she said. “But every day (it’s been fun).

“A lot of people said it’s been like their second family,” she continued. “That’s the hard part. We’re not going to be together anymore.”

Also having to stay home were the 9- and 10-year-old All-Stars, who were eliminated by Sequim 18-8 in four innings Tuesday.

Sequim came out blazing by scoring 11 runs in the first, punctuated by a three-run double.

But Bainbridge got five back in their half of the inning, with two coming on a single by Roxanne Edenholm.

Seqium kept the pressure up with five more runs in the next inning on several walks and an error.

But Alyssa Estes came in to minimize the damage while Bainbridge scored three in the third on a single by Catie Muir.

Sequim scored two runs on three base hits in the fourth to keep the lead at ten, as Bainbridge couldn’t keep the momentum going.

Manager Stew Estes said having to come through the consolation bracket and play every day in hot weather was tough for the team.

“We came out flat,” he said. “It’s very hard playing every day, even if you’re an adult.

“I’m proud of them,” Estes continued. “They came back and shut them down after that (one bad inning) but if it weren’t for that inning, it would have been a different result.”

Without a Junior team being fielded by Bainbridge, the lone softball team headed to state was the 10- and 11-year-old team, who received an automatic bid when Sequim was unable to field a team.

Manager Deidre Raben said she’s concerned about keeping things going with such a long layoff between now and July 14, when the tournament starts in Vancouver.

But she feels they’ll be ready to go.

“They’ve just been biting at the bit watching these games,” she said. “We’ve been able to take a day off or two more than we have been able to so they don’t get burnt out.”

On the baseball side, the Bainbridge American 9- and 10-year old team defeated South Kitsap Eastern 3-2 to move on in the consolation bracket.

Trent Schulte pitched three innings for the win, giving up just three hits while Rich Carrillo came in to pitch the last three innings for the save, striking out four (including the last SK batter of the game with the bases loaded).

Carrillo and Grant Klausen also had RBI singles.

In the 10- and 11-year-old district bracket, the Nationals are still alive with wins over Bainbridge American and Sequim in the consolation bracket.

In the Majors bracket, the Bainbridge American and National teams faced off against each other in the consolation bracket last night.