Playing in the Sweet 16 of the state baseball tournament for the second year in a row, Sumner High’s squad prevailed 6-4 over Anacortes High Friday afternoon at Bellingham’s Martin Stadium.

The Spartans couldn’t take it to the next level – Yakima’s County Stadium and the state tournament Final Four this weekend – as the Sparts reached the Elite Eight but could go no further against Sehome High Saturday at the same venue.

Sumner High threw everything but the kitchen sink at Sehome’s Mariners, but the flummoxed foursome of Spartan hurlers relinquished 12 walks as they couldn’t locate the plate and Sumner High defenders committed six errors to suffer the 13-3 setback, bringing the season to a sudden close with an 18-10 mark overall.

Anacortes pitcher Cody Culp raised some eyebrows in Sumner’s initial tilt Friday, as Culp had a no-hitter going through five innings, walked only a tandem of batters and plunked a man.

The Spartans, who have boasted a sound nucleus of seniors all season long that included Tyler Hidalgo, Seth Morgan, Tanner Brinkman, Cameron Steffey and Brad Falk, eventually persevered, as they quickly turned the tables on Anacortes in the top of the sixth stanza to go up 6-4.

The upper hand came with the help of a three-run home run off the stick of Falk.

After a workmanlike 10 strikeout performance from starting pitcher Steffey, southpaw Logan Christensen got the save in the seventh frame as he retired the side in order.

Sumner coach Casey Adcox called his team’s outing the following day against Sehome “uncharacteristic,” but added that it was also strange playing before a huge, partisan throng of Sehome High faithful.

“It was sort of sad to see the season end like it did, but at least we didn’t go out with a whimper,” Adcox said. “Additionally, with the exception of a handful of seniors, we will be back with some pretty decent young talent in 2012.”