BAY CITY, MI -- Bay City Southwest has that winning look in its eye.
Even when it is staring at defeat.
The Southwest all-star squad delivered a stunning final-swing rally, snaring victory from the clutches of defeat with a thrilling 7-4 extra-inning win over Birmingham in the Little League 10U state tournament.
Trailing 4-1 in the top of the sixth, Southwest stormed back to knot the game, then won it with another three-run outburst in the seventh. That gave Southwest a perfect 3-0 record in pool play and advanced it to the single-elimination round.
Little League 10U state tourney pairings, results, photos
Southwest meets Taylor Northwest at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the state quarterfinals at Bay City South End, sitting three wins away from the state championship.
Southwest has done nothing but win since the start of postseason play, as it powered to the district crown in undefeated fashion then ran the table in pool play at the state tourney it is hosting with South End.
Birmingham had the local team against the ropes Tuesday, breaking a 1-1 standoff with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Birmingham sat three outs away from a win when Southwest suddenly found a winning gear.
Southwest plated three runs to dramatically tie the game, then finished the job in the seventh. Reliever Drew Goik held Birmingham scoreless in the pivotal bottom of the sixth and bottom of the seventh for the win.
Southwest got two hits from Preston Kolm, Aiden Revette and Brady Vrable in the win while Owen Kolak, Jaxon Jenkins, Dawson Lavender, Ben Cleland and Will Martin IV each tallied one hit.
Chase Jelenic rapped two hits for Birmingham while Jack Hughes, Marty Graney and Max Kepic each counted one hit.
Birmingham was eliminated with a 1-2 pool play record.