They captured the West, now it’s time for the World. The Gilroy
girls Majors swept through the competition at Western Regionals
this past week, going undefeated in six games, to allow for the
team’s third straight appearance in the Little League Softball
World Series.
Vancouver, Wash. – They captured the West, now it’s time for the World.
The Gilroy girls Majors swept through the competition at Western Regionals this past week, going undefeated in six games, to allow for the team’s third straight appearance in the Little League Softball World Series.
A 10-0 rout of Montana in the semifinals and a 6-1 win over Southern California in the championship on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, secured Gilroy’s slot in a tournament showcasing the best softball to be played by 11- and 12-year-olds.
Manager Dusty Lester said he couldn’t be prouder of the accomplishment.
“For going undefeated, that’s the first time any of our teams (in the past three years) have done that,” Lester said. “It was pretty remarkable. You could tell they wanted it.”
Ace pitcher Casey Lester, a member of last year’s fifth-placed squad at the World Series, echoed her manager’s sentiments.
“Oh, it feels great,” she said. “I knew that our team had the potential to do it. It’s just amazing – three years in a row.”
Lester pitched six innings in the clinching game, giving up only two hits to go with a 2-for-2 performance at the plate.
Other top performers in the contest included Randi Rogers, who scored two runs in the game, Ashlee Williams, who was 3-for-3 with three RBI and Shawnte Garcia, who batted 2-for-3.
For Sarah Ordaz, a newcomer to Regionals, getting over the nerves was an issue at the start of the tournament. Luckily, the shock of playing at such a high level wore off pretty quick.
“The first game I was nervous because I didn’t know what to expect,” Ordaz said. “But then the other games I was good.”
The mauling of Montana was the team’s most comprehensive of the tournament as Kaylana Mah pitched four innings of shutout ball with three strikeouts. Mah also went 3-for-3 at the plate with five RBI.
Casey Lester was 2-for-2, scored two runs to go with one RBI, and Alex Zamaripa and Sarina Sandoval each went 1-for-1, both scoring a run.
“There playing pretty good right now,” Dusty Lester said. “I still think we can hit a little better, but it’s definitely a team effort. Everyone on the field is contributing.”
The focus now shifts to the ten-team World Series being played at Alpenrose Field in Portland, Ore. The team’s first game is Thursday, Aug. 9, against the South representative from Morristown, Tenn.
Players and coaches will be chauffeured in a limousine from Vancouver, Wash., where the Regionals were played, to Portland, where a World Series organized reception awaits. Each player will receive gifts as a reward for making it so far.
The girls have been away from home for almost two weeks now, but as Marizza Lucio pointed out, there is quite a prize at the end of the road if they keep winning.
“I think since we were all a team before we can do really well,” Lucio said. “I miss home but it’s worth the trip.”
Notes: Aly Olvera, not Kaylana Mah, as stated in an August 3 article, was one of three pitchers in a 7-6 win over Southern California.
The team would like to thank Jim and Debbie Currier for their generous donation in helping the team and family cover travel expenses.
