“It was really exciting and new,” Moore said. “I was very happy to get to participate and do this with my team.”
Both the 12U and 10U West Side all-star softball programs competed in the Little League sanctioned state tournaments for the first time ever this past week. West Side Little League has been in existence since 1952.
“Our team played hard, and we all worked together,” said Moore, a catcher on the 12U team. “We had so much fun. Our infield made great plays, and so did the outfield. We put in effort and fought.”
West Side’s 12U squad fought its way to the state championship game before falling to Austintown this past Monday in Boardman.
“It was pretty awesome,” said Bill Lane, who managed the 12U team. “What these girls did was great. Both of our teams — they made the most of it.”
Olivia Lane had 11 strikeouts in the pitcher’s circle in 12U West Side’s first game — a 10-0 victory over Big Walnut. West Side lost to Austintown 10-0 in the second round and was sent to the loser’s bracket.
West Side got another strong pitching performance from Lane, who fanned eight batters in a 10-0 win over Cuyahoga Falls that was highlighted by Beatrix Paulus’ catch in center field to rob a home run at the fence.
“Each game had great players with tough battles,” Olivia Lane said. “Luckily, we were able to adjust and play competitively.”
Austintown knocked West Side out of the tournament by an 18-0 count.
“It was such a fun and amazing experience to be watched by my closest family members, and some people I haven’t even met, while doing my favorite hobby,” left fielder Brynn Marshall said. “I was also super happy about going to State because I got to go with some of my best friends, as well as my coaches who put lots of time and work into our practices and making sure that we were ready and prepared for the tournaments.”
“There was only one team in the tournament that couldn’t be beaten by us or any other team,” shortstop and pitcher Claire Moak noted of Austintown.
“The other teams were great,” second baseman Lilly Torres added. “They wanted it bad and fought hard, too. Austintown is an awesome team to play against.”
The 12U All-Star team was coached by manager Bill Lane and assistants Doug Cole and Tom Marshall, and included players Beatrix Paulus, Claire Moak, Brynn Marshall, Sofia Stanfill, Madilyn Michaels (pitcher, first base), Marley Lathan (right field), Nora Engle (right field), Lilly Torres, Samantha Robben (third base), Jenni Moore, Raelynn Marcotte (left field), Adalynn Lane and Olivia Lane.
The 10U team lost its first two games. That team was coached by manager Todd Schroeder and assistants Erin Allen and Mike Oden, and included players Zoey Schroeder, Piper Watkins, Nala Knight, Myka Gray, Mia Burton, Ivy Oden, Harper Szary, Gia Harness, Ellee Robinson, Chloe Lawrence, Brooklynn Myers and Camryn Spicer.
“You could tell which teams had been together longer by how they played,” Adalynn Lane said. “Adjusting your different levels of pitching in each game was big.”
“It was very exciting to experience playing on a higher level than the regular season and to make groundbreaking history representing Hamilton,” Marcotte added. “We all acted like a team, and everyone contributed to our success.”
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