Eastlake is headed back to the state tournament in Little League baseball, after beating Kirkland American for the second straight day to claim the District 9 championship with a 7-2 victory.

Eastlake, which reached the Little League World Series last season as the Pacific Northwest regional champions, won its first two games of the tournament over Bellevue East and Issaquah to reach the semifinals.

But a loss to Kirkland American sent them to the loser’s bracket and brink of elimination.

Eastlake came back to beat Bellevue West and keep its season alive, and won the first of two rematches with Kirkland American 6-3 to set Monday’s winner-take-all final.

Elston Miller picked up the win on the mound for Eastlake in the title game, while Cooper Safon, Garret Carney and Grady Robison each checked in with a pair of base hits.

The win gives Eastlake the chance to defend another championship from 2013 at state, which begins July 12 at Bar-S Playground in West Seattle.

The District 9 champs face the District 5 representatives for a spot in Sunday’s second round of the double elimination tournament.