Hancock’s all-stars locked up a berth in the championship semifinals with a 6-2 victory Saturday over Niceville in the second pool play round of the Junior Baseball Little League State Tournament at DeLand.

The win sent Hancock against Rockledge in the final pool play game with both having two wins. The only thing at stake was the 1-2 seeding for Sunday’s 1 p.m. semifinals.

Rockledge came away with an 11-4 victory to win Pool A. Hancock (12-1), suffering just their first loss throughout all-star play, goes into the semifinals at 4 p.m.

“If ever there was a time to lose one, that was the one,” said Hancock manager Dave Bechtol. “We saved our best arms for the championship round and gave other kids, some who had not pitched yet in all-stars, a chance to pitch.”

Gavin Paz had two singles and a triple in the loss to lead Hancock.

Against Niceville, Bechtol used seven different pitchers limited to 20 pitches or less in order to keep them available for the championship round. Those seven allowed a combined five hits and two unearned runs. Quinn Bourque closed it out with an 11-pitch seventh inning.

Paz came through with a two-run double to grab a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Niceville tied it up in the bottom of the inning, one run scoring on a bases-loaded walk and one on a bases-loaded hit batsman.

Hancock grabbed a 4-2 lead in the second and added two insurance runs in the seventh.