Gilroy arrives in Portland to great fanfare, but now the real
work begins
… and the road to softball glory won’t be an easy one
Gilroy – Since arriving like mini-celebrities via limousine at the Little League Softball World Series Tuesday at Portland’s Alpenrose Stadium, the Gilroy All-Stars have had photo shoots, gone through opening ceremonies and even signed a few autographs for fans.
But now, it’s time to play softball.
Ten teams have gathered from all corners of the globe to find out who will be this year’s queens of the diamond.
Missing from this year’s tournament is Little League softball powerhouse Midway out of Waco, Tex. (Southwest), which won last year and has won 11 of the last 13 world titles. But returning for the second straight year is McLean, Va. (South) which went to the finals before falling to Midway last year.
At the end of pool play Monday, the top two teams in each pool move on to Tuesday’s semifinals and will play on the national stage of ESPN2. The winner of that game goes to next Thursday’s world championship game, also to be aired on ESPN2.
The Gilroy All-Stars’ march to the top of the world begins tonight at 5pm against ’04 runner-up McLean, when the team makes the Garlic capital’s first-ever appearance at a Little League World Series for baseball or softball.
The party’s over, it’s time to lace ’em up.
POOL A
Southwest (Evangeline Little League, New Iberia, La.)
District 4 (Cedar Mill Little League, Beaverton, Ore.)
Canada (Beacon Hill Little League, Victoria, B.C.)
Latin America (Soraida Juliana LL, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles)
East (Orange Little League, Orange, Conn.)
POOL B
West (Gilroy Little League, Gilroy)
Central (Valley Sports Little League, Louisville, Ky.)
South (McLean Little League, McLean, Va.)
Asia-Pacific (Bacolod City Little League, Bacolod City, Philippines)
Europe (Brzeg Little League, Brzeg, Poland)
The competition …
ASIA PACIFIC
Bacolod City Little League, Bacolod City, Philippines
The lowdown: Known as “The City of Smiles,” Bacolod City is located in central Philippines on Negros Island. Chief industries are sugar milling and fishing. The city’s biggest annual event is the late-October Masskara Festival, a Mardi-Gras flavored celebration that features carnivals, fairs and masked and costumed street dancers.
CANADA
Beacon Hill Little League, Victoria, British Columbia
The lowdown: Victoria, Canada’s largest city outside of the Canadian mainland, has a population of 74,124 and has become known as the “City of Gardens” because of its mild temperatures and abundance of sunshine (2,193.3 hours per year). Beacon Hill Park, from where the Little League squad hails, is the city’s main urban greenspace. Famous people who hail from Victoria include Oakland A’s pitcher Rich Harden and singer Nelly Furtado.
EUROPE
Brzeg Little League, Brzeg, Poland
The lowdown: Located in southwestern Poland, “Brzeg” means “shore” in Polish. The city, which received municipal rights in 1250, earned the name because it sits on the banks of the Oder River. Brzeg, which now has a population of 39,900, was a part of Imperial Germany from 1971 to 1945, but joined Poland after World War II.
LATIN AMERICA
Soraida Julianna Little League, Curacao, Nertherlands Antilles
The lowdown: The island of Curacao, where the official language is Dutch, is located in the tropical Caribbean Sea, just 12 degrees from the equator. In 1499, a Spanish expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda discovered the island, which was already inhabited by the indigenous people known as the Arowaks. Today, 150,000 people inhabit the 182 square miles that make up the island, which is a two and a half hour plane ride from Miami.
CENTRAL
Valley Sports Little League, Louisville, Kentucky
The lowdown: Valley Sports, which was put together from just 22 available players in the league, defeated Girard, Kan. 1-0 to take the Central Region title. Louisville has had recent World Series success, but on the boys’ side: In 2002, the Valley Sports Little League baseball team were World Champs.
DISTRICT 4
Cedar Mill Little League, Beaverton, Oregon
The lowdown: The host team will have home field advantage, despite not advancing to the series through regional competition.
EAST
Orange Little League, Orange, Connecticut
The lowdown: The Orange, Conn. team avenged a 2004 regional finals loss to Pennsylvania with a 4-0 win over New Jersey to advance to this year’s series. Pitcher Katie Winkle threw a no hitter in that game.
SOUTH
McLean Little League, McLean, Virginia
The lowdown: This is the second year in a row the McLean team, whose opening game is against Gilroy, has made it to the World Series. The Virginia team made it all the way to the finals before falling to Midway of Waco, Tex.
SOUTHWEST
Evangeline Little League New Iberia, Louisiana
The lowdown: This is the first Louisiana team to ever go to the softball World Series. The Southwest region was previously dominated by Midway Little League of Waco, Texas, who have won a total of 11 softball World Series.
WEST
Gilroy Little League, Gilroy, California
Pool B schedule
for Gilroy (West)
Thursday, Aug. 11, 5pm
(GAME 2 OF WORLD SERIES)
Gilroy (West)
vs. McLean, Va. (South)
Main Field
Friday, Aug. 12, 12:30pm (GAME 7)
Gilroy (West)
vs. Bacolod, Phi. (Asia Pacific)
Main Field
Saturday, Aug. 13, 3pm (GAME 11)
Gilroy (West)
vs. Brzeg, Poland (Europe)
Main Field
Monday, Aug. 15, 5:30pm (GAME 19)
5:30pm
Louisville, Ky. (Central)
vs. Gilroy (West)
East Field
Tuesday, Aug. 16, 4pm (GAME 21)*
1st Pool A vs. 2nd Pool B
Main Field
TELEVISED ESPN2
Tues., Aug. 16, 6:30pm (GAME 22)*
2nd Pool A vs. 1st Pool B
Main Field
TELEVISED ESPN2
Wed., Aug. 17, 10am (GAME 23)*
5th Pool A vs. 5th Pool B
East Field
Wed., Aug. 17, 9:30am (GAME 24)
4th Pool A vs. 4th Pool B
Main Field
Wed., Aug. 17, noon (GAME 25)
3rd Pool A vs. 3rd Pool B
Main Field
Thursday, Aug. 18, 3pm (GAME 26)
THIRD-PLACE GAME
Loser Game 21
vs. Loser Game 22
Main Field
Thurs., Aug. 18, 6:30pm (GAME 27)
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Winner Game 21
vs. Winner Game 22
Main Field
TELEVISED ESPN2
* Depending on Pool record
Today’s rosters
GILROY (WEST)
Alissa Castro SS/P
Marisa Gamboa OF
Dani Hemeon OF/2B
Lindsay Holt 1B/OF/3B
Danielle Kinoshita P/OF/1B
Melanie Morelos C/3B/OF
Brenna O’Neill 3B/SS/C
Adrianna Osuna 1B/3B/OF
Sam Parraz P/OF/1B/3B
Stephanie Rodriquez OF/2B/P/CF
Michelle Sosa 2B
Elaina Vasquez OF/1B
MCLEAN, VA. (SOUTH)
Jamie Bell
Kristina Bettner
Jilly Falle
Sophie Giaquinto
Carolyn Gilbertson
Katalina Khoury
Mandy Moll
Gen Mulligan
Alex Nihill
Abby Petersen
Jessie Straub
Julia Weeks
Recent past champions
2004 Midway LL, Waco, Texas
2003 Midway LL, Waco, Texas
2002 Midway LL, Waco, Texas
2001 Rosario Paoli, Maunabo, P.R.
2000 Midway LL, Waco, Texas
1999 Midway LL, Waco, Texas
1998 Midway LL, Waco, Texas
1997 Midway LL, Waco, Texas
1996 Countryside LL, Clearwater, Fla.
1995 Midway LL, Waco, Texas
1994 Midway LL, Waco, Texas
1993 Midway LL, Waco, Texas
1992 Midway LL, Waco, Texas
1991 Greater Naples LL, Naples, Fla.
1990 Foothill LL, Glendale, Calif.
1989 Greater Naples LL, Naples, Fla.
1988 Greater Naples LL, Naples, Fla.
1987 Tampa Bay LL, Tampa Bay, Fla.
