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In 2007, the ASOFEM Junior Little League Softball team from Maunabo, Puerto Rico, headed by manager Carlos Garcia, made history when it captured the international title in Seattle, Wash. Garcia did it again last Saturday, as he led the Senior Softball Little League team from Puerto Rico to the championship, defeating the USA East team from West Cumberland, N.J., 3-2, for the world series crown.

The Senior League Softball World Series, being held at the Pyle Center in Roxana for the fifth year started off its week of championship games this past Sunday at 3:30 p.m. with its opening ceremonies, amidst blue skies and oppressive August heat — the perfect backdrop for playing ball.

With the Little League Senior Softball World Series under way in Roxana, the fans are definitely witnessing plenty of exciting action on the field. Ten teams are aggressively swinging for the title, including the hosting District III team from Laurel, five teams representing their regions across the country and four international clubs.

The hometown fans were not enough for the host team, as the West knocked them down with a 10-2 victory Monday night at the Senior League Softball World Series in Roxana.

The USA Central team from South Bend, Ind., was right on track after Day 2, outscoring opponents 19-2. After a punishing 10-1 victory over Asia-Pacific on Sunday, they followed up Monday night with a 9-1 triumph over the West Mesa Little League team from Albuquerque, N.M., representing the Southwest. With both teams looking for their second win of the tournament, the girls took to the field.

Asia Pacific was able to brush off some travel weariness and their opening loss to rebound for a 3-1 victory over the EMEA squad on Monday in the Senior League Softball World Series in Roxana.

Canada made their World Series debut the second day, facing the 1-0 ASOFEM (Association of Feminine Softball) Latin American team from Maunabo, Puerto Rico. Latin America, already having tallied a win over the West from Day 1, came out to play again, as they finished off the Windsor South Canadians from Windsor, Ontario, 11-0.

If there’s one team out there this year with the bull’s eye on their back it’s the Central team of District 11, from South Bend, Ind. The 2007 World Series runners-up have had impressive showings, dating back to the team’s championship title in 2004, when the team won the Junior Little League World Series at ages 13 and 14.

The USA Southwest squad got off to a strong start in this year’s Senior League Softball World Series with a hard-fought 6-3 win over a scrappy USA South team.

The hosting District III champs from Laurel came out Sunday evening with something to prove, battling the USA East leaders from West Cumberland, N.J. Behind confident pitching, courtesy of Stephanie Wheatley, and strategic batting all the way through the line-up, the team from Laurel walked away with Game 1 of the 2008 Little League Senior Softball World Series, 6-3.

It’s hard to imagine doing anything other than sleeping after a 21-hour flight that encompasses four cities and two continents. Well, maybe showering or eating…

“It’s a great day for baseball…let’s play two!”