Benicia’s Junior League all-star team reached the championship round of the Section 1 Tournament after a 10-7 victory over Fort Bragg on Friday at Vallecito Field in Terra Linda.

Benicia had a chance to enter the championship round undefeated but blew a late lead against Walnut Creek on Thursday. Jayshaun Wise’s two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning gave Benicia a 4-1 lead, but Walnut Creek hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning to close within one, then hit a walk-off two-run homer with two outs and two strikes to hand Benicia its first loss of the postseason.

“I thought we were all set but we made two mistakes,” said Benicia manager Carl Rendell.

Benicia (5-1) bounced right back against Fort Bragg the following night. Fort Bragg scored twice in the top of the first but Shane Martin clubbed a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning to give Benicia a 3-2 lead. Benicia added another run later in the inning and Arian Chapman hit a three-run homer in the second to make it 7-2.

Fort Bragg closed to within 7-5, but a three-run sixth inning – highlighted by a two-run ground-rule double by Martin – gave Benicia a five-run cushion. Fort Bragg scored twice in the top of the seventh, but Benicia relief pitcher Richard Mealey got the last out to earn the save.

Jaxson Bates pitched the first five innings and Chapman threw 1 2/3 innings of relief for Benicia, which has to beat Walnut Creek on Saturday and again on Sunday to win the Section 1 title.

“At least we’re in the championship round,” Rendell said. “These are the situations that tell you what kind of team you have.”

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