After winning their first two games in the Little League District 9 Tournament championship series, all Cape Coral National needed to do was win one more time to claim the title.

It did not happen for Cape Tuesday night at Buckingham Community Park in a 9-3 loss to Fort Myers American. Being a double-elimination format, Cape got a second chance Wednesday night in the deciding game.

Once again, Fort Myers American prevailed, this time 8-4, to snatch the district title away from Cape National’s grasp.

“It was a close game until the sixth inning when Fort Myers got a shot down the right field line to score three runs,” said Cape National manager Pete Schroat.

A big hit also carried FMA to victory Tuesday night, a grand slam home run that broke open a close game.

“We hit the ball well tonight, but most of the time when we hit it they caught it,” said Schroat. “It was a great experience for the kids. They are a great bunch of kids. You could not ask for a better group of kids.”

Zack Nason, Joe Morales and Justin Gubelman had multiple hits for Cape, including doubles. Ryan Erhardt got the pitching start assignment, giving way to Justin Parmeley for the final two innings.

FMA opened a 4-2 lead early, but when Cape closed within 4-3 FMA added a run. Cape again closed the gap to 5-4 before FMA’s big game-sealing three-run hit in the sixth.

Jorge Perera, Cape’s starting catcher Tuesday night, did not play Wednesday night. He suffered a deep contusion to his left shoulder when he was bowled over making a putout at home plate Tuesday.

In other District 9 divisions previously completed:

In the Little League (Major) division championship game Tuesday, unbeaten South Fort Myers downed Hancock 8-4 to capture the district crown.

South Fort Myers teams earned titles in the 9-10 and 10-11 divisions. South beat Cape American 12-9 in the 9-10 Baseball title game while also knocking off Cape American 9-7 in the 10-11 Baseball finale.

Buckingham captured the Senior Baseball title with 3-2 and 10-4 wins over Fort Myers American in a best-of-three series.

In the 9-10 and Little League Softball divisions, Cape Coral took home both titles in best-of-three series, beating Fort Myers two straight in both series.

District 9, 16, 18 and 27 champion teams advance to the Section 6 Tournaments that get under way for 9-10 Baseball and 10-11 Baseball divisions Friday night. The 9-10s play at Lehigh Acres while the 10-11s travel to North Port.

Little League Baseball and Junior Baseball sectional play begins July 23 at Lehigh Acres while the Senior Baseball event is hosted at North Port.

All softball Section 6 Tournaments – 9-10, Little League, Junior & Senior divisions – begin Saturday at Fleishman Park.

* Tuesday night, FMA got a measure of revenge by knocking off Cape to send the junior division tournament to a second championship match.

Cape won the first meeting with FMA 4-2 Sunday afternoon, knocking them into the loser’s bracket. FMA won the loser’s bracket Monday night with a 10-8 decision over Buckingham to earn a second shot at Cape National.

Left-handed pitcher Jonah Owenby’s three-hit performance and Thomas Runyon’s grand slam homer carried FMA to victory Tuesday night.

FMA scored first with two out in the first inning. Izzy Brito hit a sharp ground ball into the hole at short that Cape shortstop Joe Morales fielded cleanly, but Brito beat the long throw at first for a hit. Brito’s hustle allowed Cal Ferrante to score from third base.

FMA added a run in the third inning despite three runners being thrown out on the bases in the inning. Cape center fielder Adam Boye’s throw to second base cut down FMA’s Austin Esposito trying to stretch his ringing shot to the 300-foot fence.

Ferrante tried to score on Evan Dougherty’s single to left, but was out in a collision with Cape catcher Jorge Perera, who had the relay throw in plenty of time and hung onto the ball. Perera injured his shoulder on the play, but had to come out of the game in the next inning.

“Jorge’s (Perera) loss is big for us,” said Schroat.

Dougherty, meanwhile, moved up to third base on the play at the plate and scored as Brito beat out a dribbler down the third base line with two out.

Cape, which went three-up, three-down in the first three innings, cut the 2-0 margin in half in the fourth. Morales led off with an infield single. With one out, Nason also reached on an infield single. Morales and Nason pulled off a double steal with two out and Gubelman at the plate. Gubelman walked to load the bases for Brady Peterson, who walked to force in the run.

Matt Hale popped out to leave the bases loaded, but Cape was back at it with a two-out rally in the fifth aided by back-to-back FMA errors. Morales walked and stole second. He wound up on third when Rich Boye’s infield grounder was misplayed for the first error. Morales tied the game 2-2 on the inning’s second error on Nason’s ground ball.

After scratching and clawing to catch up, Cape’s effort was mangled by FMA’s six-run uprising in the fifth highlighted by Runyon’s grand slam homer with two out.

Erhardt’s leadoff double in the seventh, just Cape’s third hit of the night, set up the final run. Erhardt stole third and scored on a fly ball to center hit by Morales that was dropped for an error. FMA made four errors in the game.

“We started good,” said Schroat. “It was give-and-take, but that one big hit broke it open. We were hanging with them except for that. “

Just like what happened to them in the late innings Wednesday night.

Tuesday’s Game

CC National000 110 1 – 3 3 1

FM American101 061 x – 9 10 4

W – Owenby. L – Nason.

2B – Ferrante (FMA), Erhardt (CCN). HR – Runyon (FMA).

Wednesday’s linescore not available.