Kirkland, Wash. — Robinson (Texas) broke open a close game with four runs in the seventh inning to defeat Pawcatuck/Westerly 9-4 Monday in the Junior League (13-14) Softball World Series at Everest Park.

Pawcatuck/Westerly, the East Regional champion, fell to 0-2 in Pool B of the 10-team tournament and will attempt to win its first game Tuesday at 4:45 p.m. against Olmeca, Mexico (1-1). Texas, representing the Southwest, improved to 2-0.

"The girls are absolutely excited about (Tuesday)," manager Ray Arruda said. "We get to play Latin America (Mexico) and then the Netherlands on Wednesday. It's going to be fun. One of the things we touched on after the game is now we get to play other countries and that's really what the World Series is all about.

"Our pool seems to be very competitive, but I think we'll get things rolling."

The top four teams in each pool advance to the elimination round (the quarterfinals begin Thursday), so two wins will guarantee Pawcatuck/Westerly a spot in the quarters and one might be enough, too.

Errors hurt Pawcatuck/Westerly on Monday as three miscues led to a pair of unearned runs for Robinson.

An RBI double by Megan Albamonti and a run-producing single by Erin Craig pulled Pawcatuck/Westerly to within 5-3 after six.

Craig had two of Pawcatuck/Westerly's five hits and while Abby Flakus drove in a run with a base hit in the seventh.

Winning pitcher Maddy Gonzales did not allow an earned run in a complete-game effort, walking two and striking out seven.

Offensively, Erin Young was the star for Texas, tripling home a run in the third inning and then delivering the key hit of the day — a grand slam in the seventh.

Harley Koerth also homered for the winners off losing pitcher Trinity Lennon, who pitched 6.2 innings.

"That's just a good hitting team," Arruda said of Texas. "Trinity's throwing well and isn't frustrated one bit. She pitched every game through her high school season (at Stonington), so she's not tired at all."

Following the game, which started at 11 a.m. on the west coast, the team took the 20-mile trip north to Seattle, where the group visited two popular dowtown tourist attractions — the Space Needle and Pike Place Market — where Arruda said assistant coaches Dave Mitchell and Tony Garro had a chance to catch fish thrown their way at the Pike Place Fish Co.

"This is such a beautiful area," Arruda said. "We're sitting here right now looking out at Puget Sound. It's just been a tremendous experience."