DOWAGIAC - Aug. 2, 2005 - West Branch's Senior League baseball team knew it was good heading into this week's state championship tournament in Dowagiac.

Now, after wins in their first three games in the tournament, everyone else knows, too.

West Branch used Kyle Wangler's three-run walk-off home run in the 10th inning Monday to defeat Eastwood 5-2 and advance to Tuesday's state championship. West Branch will have two chances to top Eastwood, which won a consolation contest over South Grand Rapids by forfeit Monday evening, to win the state title. Eastwood will have to beat WB twice for the title.

The winner moves on to the Senior League Central Regionals in Peru, Illinois.

Troy Lambert pitched a 10-inning complete game for the win, striking out nine and walking one while throwing under 130 pitches.

"Troy was just awesome today," said WB coach Dr. Mark Weber. "I think we've got the best pitching here. He's been head and shoulders above everyone else in the tournament. Ricke Dodridge has been great too, and probably would be the top starter for everyone else. But Troy has been unbelievable."

With Lambert holding Eastwood to two unearned runs in 10 innings, Matt Faiman drilled a line drive off the glove of the shortstop with one out in the bottom of the 10th to start West Branch's game-winning rally. Lambert singled, but Curt Lyons had his line drive down the line caught by an out-of-position outfielder for the second out.

With two outs, Wangler drilled a two-strike pitch over the fence for the game-winner.

"When he hit the ball, it was obvious it was in the gap," Weber said. "We knew we had it won, but then it snuck over the fence. It was his first home run in a couple of years."

It was the third strong outing in three games for the West Branch Senior Leaguers, who hadn't been challenged in district or sectional play.

On Saturday, West Branch topped Gladstone 4-1 as Lambert threw a one-hitter, walking three and striking out nine.

West Branch gave up a run in the first, then was handed a run in the bottom of the frame on a throwing error. Dodridge later drilled a two-run home run for a 3-1 lead, and Lambert's long home run capped West Branch's scoring.

Lambert has pitched 17 innings in the tournament without allowing an earned run.

In Sunday's second game, West Branch took a 7-3 lead and held on for a 7-5 victory over Southern Grand Rapids.

"Just about everybody hit in that game," Weber said.

West Branch trailed 3-0 early, but with two outs, Tyson Dantzer singled, Rob Goulette singled and Michael Noffsinger was hit by a pitch. Faiman's bases-clearing tripled tied the score at 3-3.

Dodridge's home run the next inning put West Branch up 4-3, and Curtis Lyons later drove in a pair of runs to give WB the cushion it needed to hold off a Grand Rapids rally.

Dodridge, who didn't allow a run from the second until the seventh inning, gave up six hits and two walks while striking out 10.

"Ricke was so much bigger for so many years than the other kids that he just blew away batters," Weber said. "But the past couple of games he's really shown he's becoming a pitcher. He's stayed within himself and is throwing positional, location baseball.

"It's pretty amazing to beat a team like Grand Rapids. They had 20 (Senior League) teams to pick these kids from, but this was it for us. Some of their parents were talking to some of the West Branch parents, and they had a hard time believing that."

Lambert will take the mound again Tuesday against Eastwood.

"With Lambert pitching and Aaron Kihn catching, I like our chances," Weber said. "Aaron has let maybe one passed ball get by him in the whole tournament. To do what they've done as 15-year-olds is something.

"West Branch should proud of these kids. They've been real fighters. They've never played games at this level. It's been hot, sweaty, humid 94-degree weather. They've had opportunities to win games that have gotten away thanks to some bad breaks, but they haven't quit. It's easier to be a loser than to be a winner. They've stayed focused and been aggressive. They don't celebrate for more than a couple of minutes after they win; they know they still have games to play.

"What they've done here has been very impressive."