After Washington’s starting pitcher Trey Kirchoff’s fifth strikeout to end the top of the third inning, he strutted off the mound without an ounce of emotion on his face while his teammates paraded around him.

Thursday night’s 12-1 win in San Bernadino, Calif., against the Dimond-West Little League team from Alaska, sent Northeast Seattle to the Northwest Region baseball title and to the Little League World Series for the first time in their league’s history.

After Alaska stranded two base runners in the top of the first — which was the most Kirchoff allowed during the game — leadoff hitter Nolan Chang got a hit up the middle, followed by a one-out triple by Owen Luke to the left-center-field gap, scoring Chang. Luke scored on a wild throw that went out of play.

With two outs, back-to-back doubles by Brett Taylor (scoring one) and Brooks Shewey (scoring two), expanded their lead to 5-0. 

Kirchoff’s lone run of the tournament came via Alaska’s Cole Seymour, who hit a one-out triple down the right-field line. He scored on a fielder’s choice, putting the score at 5-1.

Kirchoff finished Thursday night’s outing with five innings pitched, eight strikeouts, and four hits, with one earned run on 65 pitches.

From Little League’s “run rule,” Washington won off a seven-run fifth inning capped by a walk-off three-run home run to left field by Matthew Fisher, delivering Washington’s only homer of the tournament.

During the five-day tournament, Washington outscored its three opponents 33-1, with 30 hits. Manager Christian Shewey’s side defeated Oregon 12-0 in their first regional game and Alaska 9-0 in the semifinal on Monday.

Kirchoff had a three-game stat-line of 11 innings, seven hits, one earned run and 21 strikeouts.

The Little League World Series starts Wednesday. Washington’s first game is against Maine, the New England champions, on Thursday at noon PT (on ESPN).

Michael Chavez: mchavez@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @RealMikeChavez. Michael Chavez is a sports reporting intern covering all levels of sports in the Seattle area for the The Seattle Times.