SAN BERNARDINO - The fact that a softball team from California was going to represent the Western Region in the Little League World Series in Portland, Ore., didn't give either team participating in Friday's West Region final any solace.
Photo Gallery: Little League Softball Western Regional: So. Cal Vs. Nor. Cal
Vying for state supremacy, it was Southern California's Westchester Del Rey Little League that outlasted previously undefeated Gilroy Little League of Northern California, claiming an 8-3 win at Al Houghton Stadium to advance to the final stage of the season.
"You just have great confidence that someone from California is going to represent well in the World Series," Southern California coach Mike Dolan said. "We know (Northern California) would have, like we plan to."
Chandler Dolan was 3 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored to lead a Southern California lineup that was remarkably consistent, save one hiccup in their lone loss during the Western Regional.
Alexis Cecere was again solid on the mound, allowing three runs on eight hits in handing Northern California (5-1) its first loss at the regional. Friday also was the first time the two teams from California met this week in San Bernardino.
"There's a lot of talent in California," Northern California coach George Sandoval said. "I was hoping
it would be the two teams from California playing for the title. Our girls played their hearts out; it's just too bad somebody had to lose."Southern California (5-1) got on the board in the second inning when a ball from Cecere got over the outstretched glove of the right fielder for an RBI double. Sarah Robinson, who had two RBIs, drew a walk, advanced to third on Cecere's double and scored on a wild pitch to give Southern California a 2-0 lead.
SoCal added to its momentum with four runs in the third inning. For the second time in as many innings, Northern California issued a walk with no outs, this time to Sara McMorrow, who scored on Dolan's RBI single to the gap in right-center field. Melissa Euyoque reached on an error and capitalized on two wild pitches to make the score 4-0 before Kylie Richmond hit a two-out, two-run single up the middle to balloon the Southern California advantage to six runs.
"I believe those runs early set the mode for the game," Chandler Dolan said. "Once we got into that mode, we're unstoppable."
Northern California cut into the deficit with a pair of runs in the fourth inning thanks to singles from Pati Soria and Cynthia Del Real, but Southern California promptly regained its six-run lead in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a two-out, two-run single by Robinson that made Northern California pay for another leadoff walk, this one followed by Dolan's third single.
As its chances dwindled, Northern California tried desperately to chip away at the deficit, with Nikki Villanueva's RBI double in the fifth making the score 8-3, but the six-run lead Southern California built through three innings was too much to overcome.
"At the start of this whole thing, our goal was to go to the World Series," Mike Dolan said, "but to see it come to fruition, it's a blessing. It's awesome. I don't know if there's any two-dollar words I can come up with right now. Maybe I'll have some more words tomorrow."
clay.fowler@inlandnewspapers.com
909-483-9375
Source: http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_18583784?source=rss
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