Gilroy families on a wild ride with close games, pressure and
media attention
Gilroy – The Gilroy All–Stars needed a miracle to punch their ticket to the World Series of softball – and they got it in the tenth inning, after an emotional whirlwind of a game.
Down 9-7 in the 10th inning with the bases empty and two outs in the final game of the Little League Softball Western Regional tournament, second baseman Michelle Sosa hit a line drive between third base and the shortstop, sparking a 3-run rally. Third baseman Brenna O’Neill followed with another single. Then came Lindsay Holt, who drive in Sosa and O’Neill to tie the game 9-9. Melanie Morelos got on base with a hit and moved Holt to third. Finally, Adrianna Osuna delivered the winning line drive that drove home Holt for the 10-9 victory.
“It was a big, scary and long win,” said manager Dennis Castro when the marathon was over.
The Gilroy All-Stars, who were chosen for the squad from their Little League regular season teams, began their journey July 15 with the Section 5 All–Star Tournament. The team won the section title easily, outscoring their opponents 31-6 in three games. The Garlic City All-Stars also breezed through the ensuing Northern California State Championship with ease in another three games. The team hit a roadblock when it lost its first all–star game, a 5-4 heartbreaker to Southern California, in the first game of the Western Regional tournament. But Gilroy rebounded to go 3-1 in Southwest pool play, which earned the team a No. 2 seeding in the semifinals. Gilroy upset the champion of the Northwest Pool, Marysville (Wash.) by a score of 4-2 Saturday to get into the championship game against Pendleton (Ore.) Sunday.
But even after all that, the excitements just getting started for the first Gilroy Little League team ever to go to a World Series.
Today, the 11- and 12-year-old girls and their coaches will be chauffeured by limousine from the field where the team won Sunday in Vancouver, Wash., across the border of Oregon to Alpenrose Field in Portland, the location of the Little League World Series.
From there, the red carpet treatment continues. The team will have photos taken, meet with the media and be introduced to the nine other teams from around the world. The team will finally get to play some softball Thursday, when it opens pool play against the South at 5pm. Gilroy, which represents the West, will play all the four other teams in Pool B – Asia Pacific, Central, Europe and South – by Monday. From there, the top two teams from Pool A and Pool B move on to the semifinals. The other teams play for third, fourth and fifth. The semifinals and the world championship games will be aired on ESPN2.
Sosa is looking forward to all of it.
“(I’m looking forward to) just playing at that field because I’ve never been to the World Series before,” said Sosa, who sports a .444 batting average. “And getting all the pictures taken and being interviewed.”
The All–Stars will also get their official World Series jerseys. No longer will they wear the red, white and royal blue pinstriped Gilroy All–Star uniforms, but black uniforms with “West” emblazoned across the front. Pitcher Sam Parraz, who picked up the win in the team’s 4-2 victory over Marysville (Wash.) Saturday, said the team is excited about the new uniforms.
But there is one drawback.
“They said we can’t pick out the numbers,” she said.
During the tournament, the players will stay with host families in Portland. But their parents and other family and friends who have been following the team have had to make other arrangements.
“There’s been a lot of parents who have dropped everything and made these trips,” said Jeff Sosa, Gilroy Little League information officer and father of Michelle.
Assistant coach Roy Holt, who is also the father of first baseman Lindsay Holt, said it’s a repeat situation from two weeks ago when the team won the Northern California State Championship on Wednesday and had to be in Vancouver, Wash., for the Western Regional on Friday.
“It’s very hectic, getting rooms and airfare and people who are going drive,” he said. “I told my friends and my boss that I was leaving on (July) 29 and it’s possible that I might not be home until (August) 19. Right now, we’re guaranteed through the 16th or 17th.”
But Holt, a massage therapist at Bostock Chiropractic, said it’s all worth it.
“I’m 45. I saw the boys always be at the Little League World Series and I thought with this team, I felt they had the opportunity to succeed and possibly go there,” Holt said. “It’s the most exciting thing I’ve ever been around as far as athletics go.”
Plus, Holt said his boss is understanding about him having to take the time off from work – he used to play baseball.
For Tracy Parraz, mother of Sam, extending the family’s trip has been a little easier when it comes to accommodations. She and Sam traveled to Washington in their RV, where they’ve been able to park and stay just beyond outfield fence in Washington. She said they’ll be able to do the same at Alpenrose Field.
Getting time off work at Bank of America hasn’t been as easy for Tracy.
“It was hard, real hard to get time off,” Tracy said. “I didn’t know ’til this morning.”
But she, like the others, is making the sacrifice so her daughter can live the World Series dream.
“I just know it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for these girls,” Parraz said.
Gilroy Little League has covered some of the team’s travel expenses, but the organization is also trying to raise money to cover costs. According to Jeff Sosa, the team has already spent $12,000 to get to the World Series. Anyone interested in making a donation can do so through www.gilroylittleleague.org or by sending a check to Gilroy Little League All–Star Travel Fund, 1478 Lupine Court, Gilroy.
More information can be found at www.softballworldseries.com.
The road to the title
Pool A
Southwest
District 4
Canada
Latin America
East
Pool B
West
Central
South
Asia Pacific
Europe
Thursday, 5pm
Gilroy (West) vs. South
Friday, 12:30pm
Gilroy vs. Asia Pacific
Saturday, 3pm
Gilroy vs. Europe
Sunday
Gilroy bye
Monday, 5:30pm
Gilroy vs. Central
Tuesday, 4pm
1st Pool A vs. 2nd Pool B, ESPN-2
Tuesday, 6:30pm
2nd Pool A vs. 1st Pool B, ESPN-2
Wednesday, 10am
5th Pool A vs. 5th Pool B
Wednesday, 9:30am
4th Pool A vs. 4th Pool B
Wednesday, noon
3rd Pool A vs. 3rd Pool B
Thursday, 3pm
Third-place game
Losers of Tuesday’s games
Thursday, 6:30pm
World Championship, ESPN-2
Winners of Tuesday’s games
For up-to-date results, go to www.softballworldseries.com.
