Central and EMEA clash in pitching gem
Tuesday evening, the USA Central team from South Bend, Ind., became the first team in the tournament to pick up a 2-0 record, as they continued their international domination, stepping out, 1-0, over EMEA for their second consecutive shutout. As of Wednesday morning, they were the only team in the tournament to dish up a loss to the defending World Series champions of Latin America.
Coastal Point • Jesse Pryor
EMEA’s Autumn Diaz winds up to fire a pitch during the team’s tough 1-0 loss to unbeaten Central on Tuesday, Aug. 10.
They went back to work on Tuesday, facing a struggling EMEA team, who had already put two losses in the bag. Janette Zukowski sent a shot to right field to bring around Colleen Doyle in the second inning, for Central’s lone run of the game.
The pace was regulated by the pitchers on both sides from there on out, who kept runners from turning too many corners. Central pitcher Jenny Bals stepped to the mound in the fifth inning to relieve Ariel Sheets and closed the deal, throwing seven strikeouts in three innings.
Steady pitching had helped Central overcome Latin America, something manager Derek Hicks was pleased to see.
“Our pitchers are our driving force,” he said. “We’ve got power on the mound, and the defense really backs them up very well. We don’t make many errors.”
Autumn Diaz and Maddie Byrd combine for six strikeouts for EMEA in the loss.
Although the South Bend team represented the USA Central region last year, Hicks assembled this year’s team mostly from scratch.
“Thirteen of our 14 players are new this year,” he said. “We’re starting with a lot of young players. There were definitely some jitters when they first got here, but they were excited when they were on the plane to get out here. You really have to be up when you’re going to face a team like Latin America.”
Coastal Point • Jesse Pryor
Pretty much a summation of the Senior League Softball World Series — both teams stretching for every inch they can get.
Central was fortunate to bypass the sweltering heat of Monday and came ready to play both Sunday and Tuesday.
“We get some humidity coming off of Lake Michigan,” he said of the team’s home turf, “but nothing like the heat here. We were lucky to have Monday off.”
Central looked to add the Southeast to the list of teams they tackled on Wednesday, after Homeplate press deadline.
“We haven’t played to our full potential,” said Hicks, “but we have been fortunate to allow no runs so far. The girls are really keeping their composure.”
