Homeplate 2024

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Onthecover~ LatinAmerica’splayers#6ArianelisGuzman Colonand#4LiznellePachecoSantiagotalk duringtimeoutonTuesday,July30.Latin Americawon6-20LatinAmerica. SpecialtotheCoastalPointphoto byCarlaVarisco

Abovetheteamsgatheronthefieldduringtheopeningceremonies.Left,Hayden Andrews,13,ofMillsboro,takesaimin thebattingcageonMonday,July29,duringtheSeniorLeagueSoftballWorldSeriesinFrankford.Below,agroupofkids gazeatLatinAmericacenterfielder LiznellePachecoSantiago.

OurTeam

Manager

SusanLyons,publisher susan.lyons@coastalpoint.com

Coach

DarinJ.McCann,editor-in-chief darin.mccann@coastalpoint.com

PitchingCoach

M.PatriciaTitus,editor patricia.titus@coastalpoint.com

Catcher

ShaunLambert,technicaldirector shaun.lambert@coastalpoint.com

FirstBaseman

JasonFeather,reporter jason.feather@coastalpoint.com

SecondBaseman

SusanMutz,advertisingmanager susan.mutz@coastalpoint.com

Shortstop

NadineTimpanaro,advertisingsales nadine.timpanaro@coastalpoint.com

ThirdBaseman

ChrisAube,graphicdesigner chris.aube@coastalpoint.com

LeftFielder

KerinMagill,reporter kerin.magill@coastalpoint.com

CenterFielder

SusanCanfora,reporter susan.canfora@coastalpoint.com

RightFielder

MikeStern,reporter mike.stern@coastalpoint.com

PinchRunner

MikeSmith,reporter mike.smith@coastalpoint.com

PinchHitter

JessicaHeppding,classifiedsales jessica.heppding@coastalpoint.com

Homeplate

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SpecialtotheCoastalPointphotos•CarlaVarisco Clockwisefromleft:ParkerO’Shields(8) playswithpitcherCierraLewis,during Game1againstEastMOTonMonday, July29,duringtheSeniorLeagueSoftballWorldSeriesinFrankford.Delaware District3wentontowin14-0.District 3’spowerfulpitcherCierraLewisisa forcetobereckonedwith.

DelawareDistrict3hammersEastinWorldSeriesopener

RyleighSmithhadherselfadaytostart thingsoffinabigwayfortheDelaware District3hostteamfromLowerSussex LittleLeague.Thecatcherhadadouble andhomeruntoleadthe12-hitoffensive effortforDistrict3ontheirwaytoa14-0 winoverU.S.East(MOTLittleLeague, Middletown,Del.)Thegamewasended

afterfiveinningsduetothemercyrule.

Smith,aHofstracommit,knockedin fourrunswhilescoringtwomoreforDistrict3.ParkerO’Shieldsalsoswungahot batforthelocals,going3-for-3withtwo RBIsandarunscored.MariahMcCabe cameoffthebenchtogo2-for-2withthree RBIsandfourrunsscored.

Itwasatotalteameffortupanddown thelineupinthewinforDistrict3.Sophie Scurciscoredthreetimesfromherleadoff

spot,witheightdifferentplayersscoringfor thewinners.

District3collectedsevenextra-basehits onthenight,withCierraLewis,McCabe, O’ShieldsandSmithhittingdoubles,AutumnWilleandMcCabeeachlegging-out triples,andSmithtallyingthehomerun.

LewisandWillealsogaveDistrict3 impressivepitchingperformancescollectively,withtheduocombiningtoallowjust threehitstoEastintheshutout.Lewis

struckoutseven,whileWillestruckout four.

MyrandaTalmadgehadtwoofthehits forEast,withAllyTaylorpickingupthe otherone.

District3’sLowerSussexLittleLeague isintheWorldSeriesforthethirdstraight yearafterdefeatingUpperSussexina sweepofthebest-of-threeserieslastweek

toearntheautomaticberthasthehost team.

EastcameinastheDelawarestate championafterwinningtheDistrict1

tournamentbydefeatingDistrict2ina best-of-threeseriesearlierthismonth. TheythenwentuptoWorcester,Mass., wheretheywontheregionalbygoing5-1. TheydefeatedthehostteamfromDistrict 4inWorcesterbyascoreof11-7,putting twoDelawareteamsinthisyear’sWorld Series.

SpecialtotheCoastalPointphotos•CarlaVarisco Clockwisefromabove:District3’s RyleighSmithischeeredonbytheentireteamaftershebringsithome.East MOTpitcherMyrandaTalmadge.D3’s SophieScurcislidesinsafeatsecond base.

SpecialtotheCoastalPointphotos•CarlaVarisco,ButchComegys

Left:Southeast’spitcher#15LaylaPeppersduringGame2againstCanadaonMonday,July29th,duringtheSeniorLeagueSoftballWorldSeriesinFrankford,Delaware. Final score8-5Southeast.TopRight:SoutheastBridgetKeandivessafelybacktothebaseasCanadafirstbasemanErikaFinneylooksonduringMondaynight'sgame. BottomRight:CanadacenterfielderFelicityGeremiacatchesadeepflyballvs.SoutheastonMondaynight.

SoutheaststormsbacktotopCanada

TeamCanada’sbatsstartedouthot intheiropeneragainstUSASoutheast, buttheLouisianasquadbattledback beforetakingcontrolofthegameinthe bottomofthefourth.

Canada’sleadoffhitter,JosieWright, ledoffthegamewithadoubleoff Southeast’sLaylaPeppers,andthevisitorsjumpedouttoa2-0leadtwobat-

Some

terslaterwithahomerunoffthebatof Q uorraGukert.Southeastavoideda biggerdeficitwithanicedoubleplayto escapefurtherdamage.

AfterSoutheastclosedthegapto21intheirhalfofthefirst,Canada pushedbackuptoatwo-runleadwhen theyplatedaruninthetopofthethird. ButSoutheastbattledagain,andatworunshotbyReaganHaggardinthebottomofthethirdknottedthescoreup again.

Southeasttookoverthegameinthe bottomofthefourthafterafielder’s choicegavethemtheirfirstleadinthe game,andEasonDavisplatedanother withasingle.Southeastfollowedwitha runinthefifthandtwomoreinthe sixthtobuildacommanding8-3lead.

ButCanadadidn’tgiveupeasilyand foughttotheend.

LaurynLineshitaone-outsingle andadvancedtosecondonaninfieldhit byErikaFinney.Withtwoouts,Kate

Groeneveldknockedinbothtonarrow thegapto8-5,butPeppersgotGukert toflyouttolefttoendthegame. Davishadthreehitsonthedayfor Southeast,andKathrynHillandBridgetKeanhadtwohitsapiece.Peppers wentthedistanceonthehill,scattering 11hitsandfiverunsonthenight. ForCanada,WrightandFinneyeach hadtwohitstopacetheirteam’sattack, whileGraceGulutzanpitchedsixinnings,givingup10hitsandthreewalks.

sussexupfitters.com

WestHonolulu’steamchantsfromthedugoutduringGame3againstCentralonMonday,July29,duringtheSeniorLeagueSoftballWorldSeriesinFrankford,Del.Final score10-1Central.

CentralopenswithroutofWest

Backtodefendtheirchampionship fromlastyear,theU.S.CentralrepresentativefromIllinoisDistrict17Little Leaguegotthingsofftoarousingstart witha10-1winoverU.S.Weston Monday,July29,attheLowerSussex Little LeagueComplexatthePyle Center.ItwasthesecondgameonLay-

tonFieldinapairofdoubleheaderson theday,tokickstarttheLittleLeague SeniorSoftballWorldSeries.

CentralwasledbyAspenKitowski’s twosolohomeruns—oneeachinthe fourthandfifthinnings.Itwasallapart ofa12-hitperformanceintheroutof West,whichcomesfromHonolulu, Hawaii.

MiaVolpertalsohadahomerunin thefourthinning,whichwasoneofher

threehitsonthenight.Shewas3-for-3 with arunscoredandtwoRBIs.Ava Rodriguez-Mansholtalsohadthreehits —oneofthemahomerunofherown —withtworunsscoredandanRBIfor Central.KylieRobinsonalsohadtwo RBIsforthewinners.MyleeTracyhad adoubleforherlonehitinthegame, andshealsoscoredarun.

Volpertalsohelpedherteam’scause inthecircle,firingno-hitballoverthe

firstfourinnings,withfivestrikeouts. ShegavewaytoHallieGibson,who wrappedupthefinalthreeinnings,allowingtwohitsandtheonerun,with threestrikeoutsandawalk.Bothpitchersfaced12battersduringtheirtimein thecircle.

FortheWest,Baileigh-AnnAldosa-

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SpecialtotheCoastalPointphotos•CarlaVarisco

Game3

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Kalaolatookapitchovertheleftfield fenceinthetopofthefifthinningfor herteam’sonlyrunofthegame. MadisynUeyamahadtheotherhitfor West—adoubleinthetopofthefifth

inning.

CentralcameintotheWorldSeries onarollaftercruisingtoa4-0undefeatedrunthroughtheregionaltournamentinLexington,Ky.Theybeat Michigan(11-1),Kentucky(16-0)and Ohio(13-2and9-2)inback-to-back gamestoearntheirtripbacktoRoxana.

Left:CentralIllinoisDistrict17#6KaydiMillerlookstotakehomeduringGame3 againstWestHonolulu.Right:WestHonolulu’scatcher#13JesleyArakawasmilesat fansfromhomeplateduringGame3againstCentralIllinoisDistrict17onMonday, July29.

SouthwestpitcherSageTolarfiresapitchagainstLatinAmericaingamefouronMondaynight.

Southwestwalks,pitcheswaytoopeningwin

USASouthwestused10walks,six hitsandeightLatinAmericaerrors toopentheirSeniorLeagueSoftball

WorldSerieswitha13-0win.

Itwasatightgamethroughthe firstthreeinnings,withSouthwest holdingontoa1-0leadafterChloe Masseyscoredonanerrorinthefirst inning.BrennaMasseyaddedasec-

ondrunwhenshescoredonanerror inthefourthinningtoextendSouthwest’sleadto2-0.

Butthetightgamewastightno longerasSouthwestputup11runs fromthefifththroughtheseventhto

wrapupalopsidedwin.Loanis CasianoSaezgotthestartforLatin America,andtheboxscoreshowed thatsheallowedninerunsin51/3

KianiBonillaMaruccifinishedthings offonthehillforLatinAmerica.

inning—however,eachoneofher runswasdeemedunearned,thanksto somesloppyfieldingbehindher.

LatinAmericaonlymanagedtwo hitsoffSouthwestpitchersSage TolarandAbbigailHardie—singles fromCarolinaPaganAyalaandArianelisGuzmanColon.

LatinAmericapitcherLoanis CasianoSaeztalkswithher teammates.

Southwestmanagedtoproduce their13runsononlysixhits,with AaliyahAlfaropacingtheattackwith twohits,oneofwhichwasagrand slaminthetopoftheseventhinning. TaylorMadisonaddedthreeRBIs, andChloeMasseyknockedintwo runsherself.

Tolarwentfourinningsonthe mound,strikingoutsevenandallowingtwohitsandawalk,andHardie endedthegameforSouthwest,tossingthreehitlessinningsandstriking outfour.

SpecialtotheCoastalPointphotos•CarlaVarisco

Left:Canada’s#10GraceGulutzanhappytobesafeatthirdbaseduringthegameagainstWestonTuesday,July30.Right:West’s#2MadisynUeyamaallbutgoesunnoticedasshesteals2ndbaseduringthegameagainstCanadaonTuesday,July30,duringtheSeniorLeagueSoftballWorldSeriesinFrankford,Delaware.Finalscore15-9 West.

WesttakesoutCanadaonDay2

TheteamfromHonolulu,Hawaii, couldn’tseemtogetthingsgoingon Day1whentheyfellintheiropener, 10-1,toU.S.Central,butthebatscertainlycamealiveonDay2intheircontestagainstCanada.

Down5-0afterthreeinnings,West wouldscorethreeinthefourth,onein thefifth,fiveinthesixthandanother sixintheseventh,tocomefrombehind forthe15-9victory.Thewinevened theirrecordat1-1inPoolB.

Haylie-SeanReinyandHunterJacksonledtheWest’s15-hitattackwith

threehitseach,withReinyand MadisynUeyamascoringthreetimes eachforthewinners.TarynHoand KylaEstesbothknockedinthreeruns forWest.

DestinyTautofipickedupthewinin thecircleforWestaftergoing4.2inningstostartthegame.TajaSouzatook overinrelieftofinishoffthefinal2.1 inningstopreservethewin.Tautofiallowedsevenrunsonsevenhits,with onlythreeoftherunsbeingearned. Souzaallowedtworunsonthreehits, withonlyoneoftherunsbeingearned.

TheWestcametotheWorldSeries afteranundefeated7-0runthroughthe regionaltournamentinMissoula,Mont.

Theydidn’tjustgoflawlessintheregional,buttheyweresimplydominating,outscoringtheiropponents107-10. That’sanaverageof15.3runspergame, whileallowingjust1.4.

Canadahaditschancesinthisone, actuallyholdingthatinitial5-0lead throughthefirstthreeinningsbefore theWest’sbatswokeup.Canadagoton theboardinthefirstasJosieWright scoredonafielder’schoice.Theyscored anotheroneinthesecondwhenErin Finneysingledtocenter,scoring DaphneFleming.

Athree-runthirdhadCanadafeelingprettygoodaboutthings,forsure. Inthatframe,LoganMillerplateda

pairofrunsonasingletorightfield thatscoredQuorraGukertandFelicity Geremia.GraceGulutzancrossedthe plate whenFleminglinedasingleto right.

Miller,FlemingandGeremialedthe Canadaoffensewithmultiple-hit games,respectively.Millerwent3-for-4 withtworunsscoredandthreeRBIs, withherbiggesthitbeingasolohome runinthefifth.Flemingwas2-for-3 withthreerunsscoredandanRBI. Geremiawas2-for-4witharunscored. Canadatriedtomountacomeback inthebottomoftheseventhasthey scoredtworuns,butultimately,theyjust couldn’tdoit.

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SpecialtotheCoastalPoint•ButchComegys CentralshortstopAvaRodriguez-Mansholt,left,andsecondbasemanItaleeFordchaseafteragroundballvs.SoutheastonTuesday.

GilmanleadsCentralto3-1winoverSoutheast

AudreyGilmanstruckout15batters overseveninningstoleadUSACentralto a3-1winoverUSASoutheastattheSeniorLeagueSoftballWorldSeriesinRox-

anaonTuesday,July30.

Gilmanhadtobegoodonthisday,becauseSoutheast’sAtalieGaunttthrewa gemofherown,strikingoutsevenover seveninningsonthehill.

Thetwoteamswerescorelessoverthe firsttwoinningsbeforeCentralgotonthe

boardinthetopofthethird.Withtwo outs,KaydiMillerdoubledtorightand camearoundonasinglebyAvaRodriguez-Mansholttoopenthescoring. TarynGriffiththensmokedalouddouble toleft toplateRodriguez-Mansholtand pushtheCentralleadtotwo.

Southeastpickeduponeofthoseruns inthebottomofthefourth,whenOlivia Hilldoubledtocenter,knockinginReagan Haggardtoclosethegapto2-1.But GilmangotabigstrikeoutagainstLayla

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SpecialtotheCoastalPointphotos•ButchComegys Above,SoutheastshortstopKathrynHilldivesjust outofreachforafoulballonTuesday.Left,aspectatorblockstheafternoonsunwithalargeumbrella,asshewatchesthegamebetweenCentral and Southeast.

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PepperstostoptherallyandkeepCentralaheadbya run.

CentralgotaninsuranceruninthefifthwhenHill hitaballtodeepcentertoscoreKylieRobinsonona sacrificefly.

Southeastlookedtobemakingsomenoiseinthe fifthwhenBridgetKeanledoffwithasingleand movedtosecondonaone-outhitbyKathrynHill.But Gilmanregisteredtwostrikeoutstoendtheinningand snuffedoutSoutheast’sbestchanceofcomingback.

KathrynHillpickeduptwoofSoutheast’sfourhits onthegame,whileOliviaHillhadthatdoubleand BridgetKeanaddedasingle.

ForCentral,KylieRobinson,KaydiMiller,Rodriguez-Mansholt,AspenKitowskiandTarynGriffith hadhits.

Neitherteamcommittedanerrorinacleangame.

SpecialtotheCoastalPointphotos•CarlaVarisco Left,LatinAmerica’sDanielaFigueroaDeHoyos pitchestoEastMOTonTuesday,July30,during theSeniorLeagueSoftballWorldSeriesinFrankford.Above,EastMOT’sMyrandaTalmadge pitchestoLatinAmerica.

It’snotofteninagameonanational orinternationalstagethatateamputs upthenumberofrunsthatLatin AmericascoredonTuesdaynight. However,thegirlsfromGuánica, PuertoRico,bywayofYankeesFamily GroupLittleLeague,woredownthe basepathsontheirwaytoaneasy20-6 winoverU.S.EastonDay2oftheSeniorLeagueSoftballWorldSeriesatthe LowerSussexLittleLeaguecomplexat

thePyleCenterinRoxana. Aftergettingshutoutintheiropener onMonday—a13-0losstoU.S. Southwest—theLatinAmericasquad quicklyputthatbehindthem,jumping outtoanearly4-1leadafterthefirst inning.Butitwasthebigsecondinning thatreallyallowedLatinAmericato stakeclaimtogame,eruptingforeight runsoneighthitsinthebottomofthe secondtotakecontrolwitha12-3lead. Alltold,LatinAmericaused13hits, 10walksandthreeEasterrorstohave littletroubleinthisone.LeslianieBaez

TorresledtheLatinAmericaoffensive performancewitha3-for-3dayatthe platewithfourrunsscored,andoneof herhitsbeingatriple.Shealsodrovein threeruns,asdidAndreaRivera Estrada(1-for-1,homerun,threeruns scored)andYadielisMercadoCornier. DanielaFigueroaDeHoyos,Loanis CasianoSaez,andCornieralsohad multiple-hitdaysforLatinAmerica. Cornierhadtworunsscoredonher2for-4dayatthedishthatincludeda double.DeHoyoswas2-for-3with threerunsscoredandtwoRBIs.Saez

was 2-for-3withapairofdoubles,two runsscoredandanRBI.

Cornierwasalsothewinningpitcher inthecircleforLatinAmerica,going thefullfiveinningsinagameshortened duetothemercyrule.Sheallowedsix runs(fiveearned)onsevenhitswith threestrikeouts.Heronlyblemishwas givingupsevenwalks.

FortheEast,thelossdroppedthem to0-2inpoolplay,andmorethanlikely knockedthemoutofcontentionforad-

Game7

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vancingintobracketplaylaterinthe week.Theyhadonegameleftinpool playagainstU.S.Southwest(Louisiana District5LittleLeague)onWednesday.

KamrynTuffyandCharlotteWhitmanhadtwohitseachforEast,with MackenzieLandryscoringtwiceonthe night.OneofTuffy’shitswasadouble thatcameinthetopofthesecondinningandscoredLucyPonden.Atthat point,itwas4-2LatinAmerica,andthe Eastfeltliketheystillhadsomelife. TheywouldscoreonemoreinthatsecondinningbeforeLatinAmericawent

ontheirscoringbarrageinthebottom oftheinning.

LatinAmericawouldputthegame outofreachwiththreemoreinthe third,andthentheyscoredfivemorein thebottomofthefourthonnohits.

ThewinevenedLatinAmerica’s recordinpoolplayat1-1,withone gameleft,againstthehostteamfrom DelawareDistrict3onWednesday night.Resultsofthatgameandtherest oftheweek’sactioncanbefoundonthe CoastalPointSportsNewsFacebook page,aswellasnextweek’sCoastal Pointprintedition.

Clockwisefromleft:LatinAmerica’sLiznellePacheco Santiagocatchesapopball.JoseFigueroaholdsa signupforhisdaughter,LatinAmerica’spitcher DanielaFigueroDeHoyos.Fans,friendsandfamily headtotheballparkforgoodtimes.

SpecialtotheCoastalPointphotos•CarlaVarisco

SpecialtotheCoastalPoint•ButchComegys Europe-AfricaRegion'sIndyBeijnsbergerisall smilesinthedugoutafterbeltingagrandslam homerunagainstSoutheastonTuesdaynight.

NetherlandsteampullsawayforbigwinoverSoutheast

Europe-Africausedan11-runsixth inningtoturnatightgameintoa slaughter-ruleaffair,astheteamfrom theNetherlandstoppedUSASoutheast byascoreof16-4intheSeniorLeague

SoftballWorldSeriesonTuesday,July 30.

Europe-Africawasclingingtoa5-4 leadwhenthefaucetopenedforthem inthesixth.IsisdeGrootledofftheinningbyreachingonanerror,andYfke Romneyfollowedwithasingletocenter.IndyBeijnsbergerdrewawalkto

Good Luck Lower Sussex!

loadthebases,andthenZoeLageweg droveinarunbygettinghitbyapitch. MelanyAguileraZayaspushedthelead tothreewithasacrificefly,andthen twomorerunscameacrossfromerrors. Afterafewmorewalks,Europe-Africa hada12-4lead. Andthentherewasablast.

Beijnsbergercrushedagrandslamto centertoextendtheleadto16-4,and Europe-AfricapitcherSterreBrummelhuispitchedascorelesssixthinningto wrapupthewin.

Thegamestartedoutlookinglikea

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Clockwisefromtopleft:LoyalfanscheerontheEurope-AfricaRegionSeniorLeagueSoftballteamvs.SoutheastonTuesdaynight.Europe-AfricaRegion’scenterfielder JoyaCashoekmakesthecatchonadeepflyball.Europe-AfricaRegion'sIndyBeijnsbergerisallsmiles,whilegreetedbyDelawareDistrict3playersafterthegame.

Game8

Continuedfrompage18 SpecialtotheCoastalPointphotos•ButchComegys

goodgameforSoutheast. ReaganHaggardknockedinEason DaviswithadoubletorightinthebottomofthefirsttogiveSoutheasta1-0

lead.LaylaPepperslaterknockedin Haggardwithasingle,andanothersinglebyBridgetKeanextendedtheirlead to3-0.Itlookedlikeitwasgoingtobe abiggerinning,butEurope-Africa’s JoyaCashoekthrewalaserfromcenterfieldtocatcherIsisdeGroottotagout abaserunnerandendtheinning.

Beijnsbergerledthewayonoffense forEurope-Africawithtwohits,awalk and fourRBIs,whiledeGroot,Manouk deLangeandTessaPhilippoeachdrove intwo.Onthebump,MeganTelleman gaveupfourrunsoverfiveinningsand struckoutfourbeforegivingwayto Brummelhuisinthesixth.

ForUSASoutheast,LaylaPeppers ledtheoffensewithtwohitsandan RBI,whileEasonDavisscoredtwo runs.Pepperpitched52/3innings,and onlyallowedthreeearnedruns,as Southeasthadsixerrorsontheday, leadingto12unearnedruns.

SpecialtotheCoastalPointphotos•ButchComegys DelawareDistrict3batterCierraLewisreactswithexcitementassheheadsforhomeafterblastinga2-runhomerunearlyinthegamevs.SouthwestonTuesdaynight.

SouthwesttakesleadlatetotakedownDelawareDistrict3

Youjusthadafeelingthatsomething wasabouttoclickfortheU.S.Southwestsquadintheeveningfinaleagainst DelawareDistrict3onDay2ofthe

LittleLeagueSeniorSoftballWorld SeriesshowcaseonTuesday,July30.

Whilethey’dmanagedjusttwohits throughthefirstfiveinnings—onewas ahomerunoverthecenterfieldfencein thesecondinningbyJourneeWilliams, and theotherwasadoubleinthefifth

byMadisynLenard—Southwestwas puttingtheballinplay,andtheywere likelygoingtofindholessoonerorlater.

Well,itwoundupbeinglater,asin thebottomofthesixthinning.With District3holdingontoa3-1lead,District3pitcherCierraLewiswasfacing

theSouthwesthittersforathirdtime throughthelineup,andtheyweresteppingtotheplatewithsomeconfidence, knowingthatthey’dbeenmakingsolid contactmostofthegame.Whilethose

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gettingKatieLashertogroundout,Ava SnelsiretostrikeoutandHobantopop out toendthegame.

earlierballsinplaywererightatDistrict 3players,thehitsoffthebatsinthe sixthwerefindingholes.

TaylorMadisonledoffthebottom ofthesixthforSouthwestwithadouble toright.ChloeMasseyfollowedwitha groundout,butMadisonwasableto moveuptothird.AaliyahAlfarolineda one-outdoubletothegapinright-centerthatscoredMadisontomakeit3-2. SageTolarthensingledbackupthe middletoputrunnersonthecornerfor Williams.Shewasunabletorecreate her earliergamemagic,butshedidproduceanRBIgroundoutthatplatedAlfarototiethegame,3-3.Lenardthen steppedtotheplate,andshedrilleda shotpastfirst-basemanGracieHoban thatwouldscoreTolartogiveSouthwestthe4-3lead.

ItwouldbeallthatSouthwesthurler ParkerBurfordwouldneed,asshesat downtheDistrict3hittersinorderin thetopoftheseventh,justeightpitches

“Ididn’tthinkaboutmakinga [pitching]changejustyet,”admitted District3coachSarahHobanofher sixth-inningvisittothecircle.“We talkedaboutpotentiallywalking [Williams]becauseshehadhitthe homerunearlierinthegame.Wedecidedtogorightather,andnoregrets, yaknow?Attheendoftheday,the otherteammadetheadjustmentsupat theplatewiththeirswingsthatthey neededtomake,andwewaitedtoolong tomakeouradjustments.Itwasagreat game betweentwogreatteams.”

Alosslikethatdoesn’tconcern Hobanforherteamgoingforward,she said,becausesheisveryconfidentin theirtalentsandabilities.

“Again,wewilljustneedtolearn fromthemistakesthatweremadetoday —nothingthatIamoverlyconcerned about,”continuedCoachHoban.“I knowthisteamhasthetalent.Wejust havetokeepthatdriveandcompetitive edge,anddothelittlethings—catch

theball,throwtheball,andhittheball. Justdoourjobs.”

District3gotontheboardfirst, whenParkerO’Shieldsledoffthesecondinningwithasingletoleft.Mariah McCabecameonasaspecialpinch runnerforO’Shields,withCierraLewis comingtotheplate.

SpecialtotheCoastalPoint•ButchComegys SouthwestcenterfielderTaylorMadison leapsunsuccessfullyforahomerunball hitbyDelawareDistrict3batterCierra Lewisasaspectatorhasacloseup viewoftheplay.

TheDistrict3pitchertooka2-2 pitchfromSouthwest’sParkerBurford deepandoverthecenterfieldfencefor theinitial2-0lead.

Thelocalswouldaddasolotallyin thetopofthefourth,whenLewissin-

Itstayedthatwayuntilthefateful bottomofthesixth.

gledwithoneouttoleft.KatieLasher thenreachedonanerrorbytheBurford, allowingLewistomoveovertothird. McCabethencameintorunforLasher andmoveduptosecondonasteal.Ava Snelsiresingledtoshortstop,allowing Lewistocrosstheplateforthe3-1lead.

Bothteamswouldfinishthegame withfivehits,withSouthwestmaking twoerrorstoDistrict3’sone.Lewisfinishedthegame,going2-for-3withtwo runsscoredandtwoRBIs.O’Shields, SnelsireandBaileyGriffinhadthe otherhitsforDistrict3.

Lewiswasthehard-luckloserinthe game,goingthedistancewhileallowing

justthefivehitswiththreeofthefour runsbeingearned.Shestruckoutfive andwalkedone.Shethrew91total pitches,with58strikes,andfaced25 battersoverall.

Bycontrast,Burfordalsoallowedthe fivehits,withtwoofthethreeruns scoredbeingearned.Shestruckout10 withnowalks,whilethrowing102 pitcheswith69strikes.Shefaced26 totalbattersinthegame.

SpecialtotheCoastalPoint•ButchComegys DelawareDistrict3pitcherCierraLewis takescontrolvs.SouthwestonTuesday night.

District3wasscheduledtoplay LatinAmericaonWednesday,July31, inthenightcapofthatday’saction.For resultsonthatgame,checkoutour CoastalPointSportsNewsFacebook page.Afullrecapoftherestofthe week’sgames,includingthechampionshipfinale,willbeinnextweek’s printeditionoftheCoastalPointand onourwebsite.

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