Risk pays off for West Point in Little League Softball World Series elimination game
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Load the bases. Live with the result.
With one out and runners at second and third for Italy’s Emilia Romagna Little League in the bottom of the fifth, Tina Madison pulled her defense into the pitching circle for a talk — a rather calm talk, all things considered.
“Relax,” the coach told her West Point 12U softball team. “We need you to be a wall. Let’s do this.”
Madison gambled by intentionally walking Martina Vietta to load the bases in a tie game, putting the situation in the hands of pitcher Lexi Stabile and her defense.
“It creates a risk,” Madison said. “But I wanted Lexi to go after the next two girls. You can go from hero to zero real quick if it doesn’t work.”
But it did work, and West Point avoided elimination at the Little League Softball World Series with a 2-1 victory Tuesday morning at Stallings Stadium in Greenville, N.C.
Stabile promptly recorded a strikeout and a fielder’s choice to end the threat. Then, in the sixth, after also loading the bases, Mid-Atlantic champion West Point cashed in when Jocelyn Luft smacked an RBI single up the middle through a drawn-in infield to score Lilly Carroll.
West Point (12-2) will continue in the loser’s bracket with a 7 p.m. game Wednesday against the winner of Arizona and the Philippines.
There is heavy rain in the forecast with Tropical Storm Debby soaking the east coast and moving inland.
West Point lost to Arizona, 2-1, in the tournament opener.
“There are a lot of really good teams here,” Madison said. “The girls wanted to make it and get on TV and all that, but to win a game here is super exciting.”
Caroll led off the sixth with a walk, and slap-hitting Jayelyn Luft reached on a contentious bunt. The home plate umpire initially called her out, saying her foot was outside of the box.
But after the umpires discussed the call, it was overturned.
Piper Hoppel followed with a single to set the table for Jocelyn Luft, who sent the first pitch she saw to center.
“I’m so glad they got it right,” said Madison, the mother of the Luft twins and the head coach of the Hempfield varsity team.
Jocelyn Luft, Jayelyn Luft and Hoppel all went 2 for 3. Jocelyn Luft also tripled.
Stabile, who pitched the final two innings in relief of Jayelyn Luft, gave up a walk in the final inning but ended it with a strikeout to earn the win.
Stabile and Luft, both readily hitting 60 mph, combined to limit Bologna to four hits. Luft struck out nine and did not allow a walk in four innings. She struck out seven of the last eight hitters she faced.
Stabile gave up one hit, struck out three and walked two.
“I wanted to change it up with the top of the order coming up,” Madison said. “We like using the two pitchers.”
Emilia Romagna, of Bolgna, Italy, won the Europe-Africa Region. It took a 1-0 lead over West Point in the first.
Gaia Frignani singled, and Elisa Casadio cracked a double off the top of the fence in left center for an RBI.
West Point tied it in the second. After Stabile (2 for 2) dropped a bunt single and Braylyn Graft was hit by a pitch, Peyton Reamer flew out to left for a sacrifice fly to make it 1-1.
Jayelyn Luft had one of the longest at-bats in the Little League Softball World Series. The first hitter of the game, she faced 17 pitches, fouling off 13 of them before she was caught looking.
West Point 2
Bologna, Italy 1FINAL
West Point stays alive in the Little League Softball World Series.@LittleLeague @Coach_TMadison @TribSports @TribWestmoreCo #LLSWS pic.twitter.com/QqTvi1qn7G
— Bill Beckner (@BillBeckner) August 6, 2024
Pennsylvania takes the victory ????#LLWS | #GWG50 pic.twitter.com/OBrvwK6bc2
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 6, 2024
it's the hair flip for us #GirlsWithGame pic.twitter.com/vcptilEdaB
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 6, 2024