EVERETT — After trailing 5-2 to Monroe going into the bottom of the fourth inning, the Tomahawk baseball team could have been nervous.

But the boys kept their cool, coming back to score five runs in the bottom of the inning for their first lead of the winner-to-state district tournament game, en route to a 12-6 win at Everett Memorial Stadium May 12.

Their strategy?

“Systematically going up there and taking good swings,” said M-P coach Kurt Koshelnik. “Eventually, we swing the bats pretty well.”

While the boys had scattered hits in the first three innings, things started rolling offensively for the Tomahawks in the fourth inning. Shortstop Steven Shane led off with a walk and Dane Widness singled. Monroe pitcher Jackson Cochran walked Tyler Holm in his third appearance at the plate — he had hits in his other three — setting up Austin Denton’s two-run single to left field.

Still down one, clean-up batter Devin Peterson gave Marysville its first lead of the game with a two-run double to center field for a 6-5 lead. A double by DH Kyle Pace scored Peterson for the last run of the inning, but it proved to be the game-winner.

With sophomore Adam Sylvester pinch running for Shane, the same five Tomahawks scored runs in the fifth inning to make it a 12-5 lead going into the top of the seventh.

Junior pitcher Brennen Steinbaugh threw 6 2/3 innings for the Tomahawks. The boys batted reliably throughout the lineup. Peterson and Holm had three hits each for the Tomahawks, with three RBI for Peterson and two for Holm. Denton had two hits and three RBI.

The boys face Snohomish May 16 for the district championship and No. 1 seed out of the Western Conference for the state championship tournament.