Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – McKinleyville’s Tatum Brock reacts after a big play during Tuesday’s state tournament game at Hiller Park.

By Ray Hamill — It wasn’t the ending they wanted, but it was a summer these young players won’t ever forget.

On Tuesday afternoon, the season came to an end for the McKinleyville Little League 8-10 All-Stars when they bowed out of the NorCal state tournament after a 6-5 loss to Aptos at Hiller Park.

They closed out the summer as District 26 and Section 2 champions and made it all the way to the final four of NorCal state play.

On Tuesday, with their season on the line, the young McKinleyville players pushed Aptos all the way, battling back from a 6-2 deficit and pulling within one run.

They had chances to tie the game late after getting runners on base in each of the final two innings but ultimately were unable to bring either home.

Like many of his teammates, catcher Crew Hicks went down battling.

Hicks has been setting the tone for his team behind the plate all summer long and on Tuesday he led the way offensively.

The standout catcher finished 2-for-2 and drove in four of his team’s five runs.

He hit a two-out, two-RBI triple to right field to give the hosts a two-run lead in the top of the first and he followed that with a two-RBI double past third base in his second at-bat in the fourth inning.

Tyus Scofield, who had reached base on a walk and advanced to third on Hick’s double, would score moments later on a Cooper Jones groundout to pull McKinleyville within one.

Unfortunately, however, that was as close as McKinleyville would get and the Aptos defense held firm late to secure the victory and keep them in contention for a state title.

Tatum Brock also battled hard for McKinleyville.

The young Brock finished 2-for-3 and pitched four strong innings in relief of Scofield.

Colton Hawkes also had a good game, capping an outstanding summer for the team with a fourth-inning base hit and a run.

Check out Crew Hicks’ two big RBI hits in Tuesday’s game …

Leadoff hitter Casanova Marshall also had a good summer and scored a run in the fourth after leading off the inning with a hit-by-pitch.

Brock and Scofield both scored in the first inning after reaching base on back-to-back hits.

The effective Scofield scored both times he reached base.

Reylen Benge rounded out a seven-hit team performance with a single in the fifth after impressively beating out the throw to first base.

Defensively, Bo Battilocchi had a big catch in left field for the final out of the second inning, which stranded a pair of Aptos base runners in scoring position.

The Mack defense also got out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fifth inning when pitcher Brock and Jones at third base combined for the final out of the inning.

The McKinleyville All-Stars closed out the season 8-3.

Below, the Mack defense gets out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fifth inning …