<p>The Hermiston Hurricanes 12U ASA team had to defeat the McNary Celts twice to win the Oregon “C” 12U state championship June 26 in Albany.</p><p>Back Row: Coach Dave Padilla, Coach Mike Lambert, Sadie Hasbell, Mikayla Kopacz, Skylar Wightman, Kylie Hinkley, Jullisa Almaguer, Ellery Jones and Coach Greg Jones</p><p>Front Row: Kynzee Padilla, Kylie Harrison, Abby George, Jordan Lambert and Breyanna Naylor</p>

The Hermiston Hurricanes 12-and-under softball team is Oregons Amateur Softball Association of America 12U-C state champions, but they had to take the long road to do it.

The Canes took down the McNary Celts twice in the 12U-C state title game June 26 in Albany, ending in a nail-biting 4-3 title-clinching victory for the Hermiston club.

Skylar Wightman threw the first four innings for the Canes and Kynzee Padilla pitched three strong innings in relief for the Hermiston-based club to bring the title to eastern Oregon.

To open Sundays competition, the Hurricanes lost to the Celts, but came back to shut out the Cherry Crush, 7-0, to earn a spot in the title game and some redemption.

Hermiston starting pitcher Wightman baffled the Crush and struck out five in the complete-game win.

Ellery Jones, Breyanna Naylor and Sadie Hasbell all went 2 for 3 in the semifinal, loser-out contest to set the stage for a grudge match with the Celts.

The Canes picked up the first championship game, 6-1, again behind the arm of Wightman. Hermiston coach Dave Padilla said his club played extremely well defensively to earn another game for the tournament championship.

The Hurricanes turned three double plays to extinguish McNary threats during the final championship game.

I am very proud of the girls. They played awesome, Coach Padilla said. We couldnt have asked it to go any other way.

The state championship win was one of a few championship trophies the Hurricanes won this season. They won their first tournament in Richland, Wash. and won a tournament in Pendleton.

In Saturdays first day, Hermiston outscored its opponents 32-2 in three dominating performances.

They beat Sweet Home 14-0, St. Helens 16-2 and Happy Valley 12-0.

Padilla threw a shutout in the Sweet Home game and also went 3 for 3 at the plate. Padilla picked up the win in the second game, as well, with 11 strikeouts before giving way to Naylor to finish the ballgame.

Padilla, Naylor, Hasbell, Julissa Almaguer and Kylie Harrison all went 2 for 3 at the plate against St. Helens.

The weekend was even more special for a pair of Hurricanes, Kylie Hinkley and Mikayla Kopacz. They hit their first career home runs during the tournament.

For the entire tournament, Kopacz hit .650 and Jones batted .600. Hasbell hit .550 and Almaguer and Padilla both ended with a .500 batting average.

Coach Padilla was particularily pleased with his teams defense, saying they made some game saving plays in the outfield and also said his pitching staff, especially Wightman, did a super job.

Many members of the Hurricanes will now turn their attention to the Distrct 5 Little League all-star tournament as part of the 11-12 year-old all-star team representing the Hermiston Little League.

They will kick off the tournament, held at Kramer Field in The Dalles, July 3 at 8 a.m. against the Hood River/Crook County winner.