For the third consecutive year, Bend North Little League is sending a team to the regional championship, where they will be one step closer to reaching the Little League World Series.

Bend North took down Murrayhill of Beaverton 6-3, not only winning the state title last week, but advancing to the Northwest Region Tournament in San Bernardino, California.

“We knew that could be a preview of the championship game,” said Bend North coach Matt Gylling. “We knew it was going to be a tough game and competitive battle, and it was.”

It is the third year in a row that a Bend North Little League team has advanced to the regional round. In 2022, the baseball team advanced to the championship game of the regional round, and last year the softball team won the regional and advanced to the Little League World Series in Greenville, North Carolina.

This year’s team will try to be the first baseball team since 2016 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

“You can see how much kids love the game,” Gylling said. “You can see how much the Bend community is invested in baseball and softball.”

After dropping the first game of the state tournament in Medford, losing 5-4 to Murrayhill, Bend North won each of its next four games. The group of 12-year-olds didn’t just win, but dominated, winning each game by a combined score of 50-2 to get a rematch with Murrayhill in the championship game Thursday.

The momentum built over the previous four wins of the tournament. The team jumped out to 5-0 lead in the first inning where Cade Craveiro, Mosi Montgomery, Ashton Martindale and Jensen Flagel all drove in runs in the opening inning.

“Our kids came ready to play, and they were confident,” Gylling said. “They were ready to swing the bat, then went up to the plate expecting to hit. Everyone in the lineup clutched up and came up with a hit when needed.”

In the championship game, pitcher Chase Johnson struck out 12 batters and didn’t allow a single earned run against Murrayhill .

Bend North will be one of four teams — the others are Abbott O’Rabbit Little League from Anchorage, Alaska; West Valley Little League from Eagle, Idaho; and South Hill Little League from Puyallup, Washington — playing at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino.

Bend expects to play its first game of the double-elimination tournament against Alaska at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+.