Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – McKinleyville’s Kaydee Carper lays down a bunt during Monday’s state tournament game at Hiller Park.

By Ray Hamill — The McKinleyville 8-10 All-Stars are still alive at the NorCal State Tournament after another clutch performance on Monday.

The tournament hosts defeated Fair Oaks Orangevale 3-1 in an elimination game at Hiller Park, with five teams now remaining in the seven-team tournament.

And they did it with strong pitching and defense and some timely offense.

After giving up a run in the bottom of the first inning, McKinleyville held Fair Oak scoreless the remainder of the way, with pitcher Colton Hawkes in control on the hill and getting plenty of help from his defense.

Hawkes came in in the first and got out of a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout for the final out of the inning.

He finished with five strikeouts and also fielded his position well, as did several of his teammates, including right fielder Braden Tullis, who made an impressive running catch for the final out of the fifth.

Center fielder Tyus Scofield also made an impressive catch to end a scoring threat in the third inning, when Fair Oaks left a pair of runners stranded in scoring position.

Fair Oaks threatened again in the bottom of the fourth, but first baseman Rowdy Furber and catcher Crew Hicks combined for a double play to keep the lead at two.

With the game tied at 1-1, Mack took the lead in the top of the fourth.

Hawkes and Tatum Brock led off the inning with back-to-back base hits, including a double by Hawkes, who would score a few minutes on a wild pitch.

Brock would make it 3-1 when he scored on a RBI single by Cooper Jones, who has been one of the team’s most clutch performers at the plate in recent games.

The win lifts the McKinleyville All-Stars to 8-2 in the playoffs.

They will play another elimination game on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30.