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12-year-old from Snoqualmie earns trip to World Series
A 12-year-old from Snoqualmie has earned an all-expenses-paid trip to the World Series Game 2 for her outstanding skills on the field.
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. - The Major League Baseball World Series is underway, and a 12-year-old from Snoqualmie earned a free trip to game two in Texas.
Kaitlyn Hart is one of five finalists in her age group across the country competing to win MLB's Pitch, Hit and Run event. Not many 12-year-olds can say they've won on the same field that the Seattle Mariners play on.
"Locally and regionally I've won it three times, but this is the first time I've made it to the World Series, so I'm really excited," said Hart.
Kaitlyn earned an all-expenses-paid trip to game two of the World Series with a parent this weekend. She was the best in her age group for MLB's Pitch, Hit and Run Regional Championship at T-Mobile Park. It's a free annual event where kids ages 7-14 are scored based on the accuracy of five pitches, the distance of five hits off a tee and their time on a 90 ft. sprint.
On Sunday, Kaitlyn will compete in the National Final in Texas.
"I was really nervous at first, but I know if I just do my best, practice a lot, I know I'll do my best at the World Series and just have fun with it," said Hart.
Seattle Mariners short stop J.P. Crawford made it to the World Series by qualifying for the Pitch, Hit and Run National Finals back in 2005.
Kaitlyn says she practices five days a week, but owes it all to her dad.
"My dad. I play with him all the time," said Hart. "He's the one who got me into softball."
"When she was born, I gave her a baseball right away so she didn't have a choice," said Tim Hart, Kaitlyn's dad. "But ever since she's been little, anything with a ball, she wants to go out and play."
"I wasn't very athletic growing up and so when I see her go out and play, we're always rooting her on, but to see her make the national level, it solidified how much effort she put into it," said Jolie Kwan-Hart, Kaitlyn's mom. "She's had a lot of good luck with a lot of great coaches, so we're really grateful for that."
The whole family is also grateful Snoqualmie Little League volunteers to host the local MLB competition each year.This weekend, Kaitlyn will swap the Little League hat for a Mariners cap.
Kaitlyn's regional score ranked second nationally, so you have to like her chances.