MARYSVILLE — The Stilly Valley Blue Steal Little League baseball team lost in the final of the Strawberry Tournament to the Everett Mariners 10-8 June 11 at Cedar Field.

Despite Blue Steal holding the Mariners to no runs, and catcher Mike Tsouskalas opening with an RBI in the first inning, Everett responded with nine runs in the second inning.

“Their pitcher was great,” coach Mike Tsouskalas said. “We got in a hole and couldn’t get ourselves out of it.”

Stilly Valley tried to work its way out of that hole, allowing Everett just one more run the rest of the game.

The Blue Steal started its comeback in the third inning, when second baseman Bryce Novy doubled in two runs.

But their bats really came alive in the sixth and final inning.

With the score 10-4, Blue Steal earned two walks, and Tsoukalas hit a double and an RBI. Pitcher Reider Vane also doubled in two runs, and third baseman Riley Krueger RBI’d to bring the score to 10-8.

The threat ended, however, with a strikeout with the bases loaded in the Majors finale for 10- to 12-year-olds. The coach said the Stilly Valley team ended its year with an 18-8 record.

Everett: 090100 — 10

Arlington: 102005 — 8