Submitted photo – The McKinleyville 12 All-Stars in Chico on Saturday.

The McKinleyville 12-year-old All-Stars opened their Section tournament in Chico on Saturday morning, falling 9-6 to tourney hosts Chico Eastside.

The McKinleyville Juniors were also in action on Saturday, opening their NorCal State tournament in San Jose with an 11-2 victory over Avocados of Valley Oak in eight innings.

The Mack Juniors led 2-0 in the seventh inning, but their opponents would battle back to tie the game with two runs in the bottom half of the inning.

However that would prove to be only a minor setback for McKinleyville, which blew open a tight game with nine runs in the top of the eighth.

No stats were immediately available for the Mack Juniors.

In 12-year-old action, meanwhile, the Chico All-Stars struck first in their game against McKinleyville, scoring four runs in the bottom of the third inning.

McKinleyville would answer with two runs in the top of the fourth, with base hits by Colton Hawkes, Tyus Scofield and Crew Hicks, including a triple by the District championship-game hero Scofield.

But the hosts would add four more runs to stretch the advantage to six going into the fifth.

McKinleyville would answer again to remain in the game, scoring four runs in the fifth to narrow the deficit to two.

However, after the Chico players added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, they were able to hold on down the stretch to advance in the winners bracket.

McKinleyville out-hit Chico 8-4, but errors played a big part in the outcome, with the home team committing just one and the visitors making eight.

“Errors just cost us today,” McKinleyville manager Kirby Hawkes said. “We kind of beat ourselves.”

McKinleyville’s Casanova Marshall led off the fifth inning with a base hit, before Rowdy Furber added a double to center field.

Reece Combs then drove in Marshall on a ground out, before Furber scored on a wild pitch.

Cooper Jones and Tatum Brock would both then reach base on a pair of walks, before RBI singles by Braden Tullis and Nate Ryan cut the deficit to two.

File photo – The McKinleyville Junior League All-Stars.

However, that was as close as McKinleyville would get.

Hawkes got the start on the hill for McKinleyville and pitched very well, striking out eight batters in 2.1 innings while allowing just one hit and two walks.

Because of his limited pitch count, the young Hawkes will be available to go again later in the tournament.

Brock, Bo Battilochi and Scofield all pitched in relief.

Hicks led the offense with two hits, while Marshall hit the ball hard, finishing 1-for-3.

“Casanova Marshall hit the ball hard every time,” Kirby Hawkes said. “We were really impressed with him.”

The loss sets up a Sunday elimination showdown against Sutter Butte at 10 a.m.

“We’re disappointed. That’s not us,” Kirby Hawkes added of Saturday’s performance. “We’re normally a very good defensive team, but we’ll be different tomorrow.”