Kingsford's Dylan Bousley slides safely into home plate ahead of the tag from Birmingham pitcher Ben Catlin in the second inning of Monday's Little League Boys Major state quarterfinal game at Howes Field. (Mike Mattson/The Daily Press)

GLADSTONE — Playing an opportunist’s role paid off for the Kingsford Major Boys’ Little League All-Stars (age 11-12) Monday in a 6-1 state quarterfinal win over Birmingham at Don Howes Family Field.

Following back-to-back home runs by Evan Johnson and Riley Juneau in the opening frame, Kingsford took advantage of several wild pitches and passed balls while scoring a run in each of the next four innings.

“The home runs definitely set the tone,” said Kingsford head coach Hank McRoberts. “Our baserunning was good. It was a case of manufacturing runs and we took advantage of opportunities to take extra bases when we could.”

Kingsford was scheduled to play Grosse Pointe Woods/Shores in a semifinal game this morning, preceded by the other semifinal between Bay City Northwest and Dexter. The winners move to the state title game at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Birmingham starter Noah Wood retired the first two Kingsford hitters before Johnson launched a solo shot to leftfield. Juneau followed with a homer to right for a 2-0 lead.

“Those were two no-doubters,” said Birmingham head coach Mark Simpson. “I liked our pitching. I like throwing outside. Only, we didn’t have an outside corner today and that’s on me. They (Kingsford) hit the ball well.”

Dylan Bousley scored Kingsford’s third run on a passed ball in the second and Johnson made it 4-0 on a wild pitch in the third.

Hunter Skoglund added Kingsford’s fifth run on a passed ball in the fourth and Johnson scored again on a wild pitch in the fifth.

Juneau pitched 5 1/3 innings for the win. He struck out eight, walked two and allowed just four hits despite playing with a sore back.

“Riley is an excellent pitcher and he did a terrific job today,” McRoberts said. “We had to ride him today in order to get to tomorrow’s game. He had a gutsy performance.”

Grant Stice’s homer to left got Birmingham on the board in the sixth, but it was too little, too late for the downstate crew.

“I’m incredibly proud of our boys,” Simpson said. “We’re the only final four team (from last year) to come back this year. This is really a great group of boys. There’s not much work involved. It’s all fun. These kids have a special place in my heart. This is a fun group of boys and I couldn’t be prouder of them. We had an excellent season. We really enjoyed our time up here. This is really a first-class facility and the people up here are first-class.”

Wood pitched the first two innings and absorbed the loss. He fanned four, walked none and gave up three runs on four hits.

Birmingham missed an excellent scoring chance in the first when it had baserunners on second and third with one out. Juneau, however, got out of the jam by striking out Stice and Bradley Babitch.

Ben Catlin then drilled a triple to right with two out in the third. But Juneau again fanned Stice to end the threat.

Kingsford finished with seven hits, including two each by Johnson and Henry McRoberts.

The teams committed an error apiece.