Southwest downs Southeast in Opener
A warm summer afternoon in Roxana set the scene for the opening day of the 2010 Senior League Softball World Series. Poise, consistency and drive blended together perfectly for the Southwest, playing out of San Antonio, Texas. They were able to hold on to a 4-3 win over the Southeast’s Olive Branch Little League out of Portsmouth, Va., on Monday.
Steady pitching from Henessey Soto fueled a solid defense, while a late burst at the plate secured the necessary runs for Southwest to collect a win in the tourney opener. They posted the first score of the game in the second inning, after Soto’s double to center field and steal to third was welcomed by Taylor Anderson’s shot to center to bring her home.
Southeast responded an inning later, when Shannon West’s single to shortstop brought Kelsey Brown around. The scoreboard remained deadlocked until the sixth.
But the Southwest team wasn’t going down without a fight. Soto’s performance on the mound denied Southeast putting up additional runs for three more innings, and she finished the day with seven strikeouts.
Quick thinking from Southwest’s infield resulted in a 4-3 double play in both the fourth and fifth innings, as steady defense proved to be a vital key in the win. Soto continued the momentum, cracking a shot toward third that allowed Gabrielle Winkler to grant the Texas team the lead once again. Felicia Sanchez and Morgan Herrera each knocked in runs in the seventh, widening the gap to 4-1.
The Southeast kept the suspense up, however, when Kaitlyn Mason tripled in the seventh, courtesy of a rocket to the centerfield fence. Mason advanced to home on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Tori Zeibler rounded the bases, following a double from Brittany Manning down the third-base line, closing in on the lead. Soto found her groove, though, striking out the last two batters before a tying run could send the game to extra innings.
“Starting off the tournament with a win like this is extremely important,” noted Southwest manager Joseph Losoya. “It sets the tone for the whole week, and there’s tough competition out there. Latin America is a really good team who comes back year after year. I don’t know much about Canada, but we’ve just got to want it more.”
The Southeast looked to recover and put the early loss behind them.
“There’s not much to say to our girls,” said manager Alan Honeyboyd. “They know what they have to do.”
The late rally showed promise in a team that maintained their composure, even after falling behind late in the game.
“Our first baseman, Rachel Taylor, is brick wall,” said Honeyboyd. “Our defense just has to play a little harder.”
