Gilroy got off to a good start in its first game of the Little
League Softball World Series Thursday, but the team fell flat as
the game wore on, falling to south representative Morristown,
Tenn., 4-1.
Portland – Gilroy got off to a good start in its first game of the Little League Softball World Series Thursday, but the team fell flat as the game wore on, falling to south representative Morristown, Tenn., 4-1.
After holding South scoreless in the top half of the first inning, Gilroy got on the board through an Ashlee Williams sacrifice fly to bring home Casey Lester.
Lester led off the inning and hit the first pitch she saw for a single. She then moved to third off a bunt-single by Randi Rogers. Lester’s speed was also showcased the day before when she won the LLSWS skills competition for the fastest time around the base paths.
“I thought we had a good shot (after that first inning),” manager Dusty Lester said. “(The South) was throwing their best pitcher, and our girls were making good contact, hitting pretty good.”
But South took a lead it never relinquished in the next frame by scoring two runs off of pitcher Casey Lester to take a one run lead.
While Gilroy did its best to answer back, the scoreboard only showed an increasing deficit as South scored runs in the third and fifth innings. The defense also had some hiccups, in what Gilroy’s manager called “first game jitters.”
According to Dusty Lester, four errors accounted for three of South’s four runs in the game, a surprise considering strong defensive play had carried the team up to this point.
“We really should have beat them,” Dusty Lester said. “Our defense, that was so outstanding in Western (Regionals) – they scored three unearned runs.”
The team’s poor play could be attributed to fatigue, possibly caused by unusual housing circumstances. All teams in the tournament are being put up by host families. Gilroy’s girls, however, were forced to change locations several times after housing became unavailable. The team ultimately decided to settle in at a hotel.
Gilroy will most likely need to win its next three games to advance to the semifinals. The team’s faces the Asia-Pacific squad today at 5pm.
Note: Donations to help cover the team’s traveling expenses can be sent to: G.L.L. c/o Girls Majors 07, P.O. Box 111, Gilroy, CA 95021.
