A five-run third inning and unflappable defense catapulted the
Gilroy Junior All-Stars past Guam 11-2 as Pool B play continued
Tuesday afternoon at the Little League World Series in Kirkland,
Wash.
KIRKLAND, Wash. — A five-run third inning and unflappable defense catapulted the Gilroy Juniors All-Stars past Guam 10-2 as Pool B play continued Tuesday afternoon at the Little League World Series in Kirkland, Wash.
Nicole Green tossed six innings to get the win despite totaling one strikeout. She kept opposing hitters at bay with the help of the defense behind her, which turned two double plays in the contest.
Holly Lam, the likely starter today, closed the effort by striking out three of the four batters she faced.
After taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on RBI hits from Elisa Perales and Brittney Souza, Gilroy exploded for five runs in the third.
Manager Rudy Perales has stressed throughout the postseason the importance of capitalizing on opponents’ mishaps. Gilroy scored three unearned runs, once via walk and once on a hit batsmen in the third inning.
The girls tacked on a run in the fourth inning before adding three more in the seventh to leave little doubt. Jenae Estrada and Mackenzie Mitchell of Morgan Hill delivered the final blows with an RBI single and two-RBI double, respectively.
With the victory, the Garlic Girls (3-0 in pool play), representing the West, assured themselves a spot in Friday’s semifinals. What seed they enter as will be determined today in a pivotal showdown with the East (2-0), Pool B’s other undefeated team.
If Gilroy upends the East contingent, it will face the runner-up out of Pool A. If Gilroy ends up on the losing side, it will take on the top team out of Pool A. The winner of each semifinal will square off in Saturday’s championship, which will be shown on ESPN 2 at 2 p.m., to determine the 2010 Junior League Softball World crown.
Wednesday’s game is slated for a 2 p.m. start.
Gilroy All-Stars:
Samantha DeLaTorre, Kristen Dennis, Jenae Estrada, Nicole Green, Holly Lam, Mackenzie Mitchell (Morgan Hill), Dejah Raoof, Mariza Rodriguez, Adrianna Ortega, Elisa Perales, Crissy Simpson (Morgan Hill), Brittney Souza.
Records thus far.
Pool A:
Southeast – 2-0
Host – 1-2
Canada – 0-3
Latin America – 2-0
Southwest – 1-1
Pool B:
Central 1-2
EMEA (Italy) – 0-2
West (Gilroy) 3-0
East – 2-0
Asia-Pacific (Guam) 0-2
