The best of the Olympic Peninsula’s hurlers and batters were ready for a battle last weekend.

Unfortunately for the Wilder Seniors and Wilder Juniors squads, so were a trio of visiting teams.

The Columbia Basin Desert Dogs went 4-0 in pool play and Lakeside Recovery (Bellevue) went 3-1 to claim both playoff spots at the North Washington 16-18 Year Old Babe Ruth State Tournament at Civic Field last weekend, leaving a trio of teams — both Wilder squads and Spokane Crew — tied for third and out of the Babe Ruth World Series.

Besides an 11-run drubbing of Wilder Juniors, Columbia Basin needed top pitching and key hitting as they won their other three games by a combined five runs. The sweep earns Columbia Basin a berth to the World Series, to be held in Ephrata in August.

With three wins, Lakeside advances to an upcoming regional tournament in Vancouver, Wa.

The Wilder Seniors, coming off their Firecracker tournament championship last weekend, played the host team — and looked to have a bit of fortune on their side after a 3-2, come-from-behind victory against Spokane Crew in the first game on July 11. After losing a one-run lead in the top of the sixth, Brett Wright laced a two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to give Wilder Seniors a walk-off win.

On Saturday, however, Lakeside Recovery touched up Wilder Seniors pitchers in a 10-6 decision.

A day later, Wilder Seniors dropped a 5-3 game to the champ Columbia Basin and fell to Wilder Juniors in their sister squad’s first victory on the tournament, 3-2.