GSLW’s Westfield White U10 Softball Team Wins Elmora Softball Tournament

The Girls Softball League of Westfield’s U10 White team emerged victorious in the 10th Annual EYL Softball Tournament hosted by the Elmora Youth League this past weekend. The tournament included three games on Saturday leading to Sunday semifinals and finals.  

The Westfield White team emerged from the Saturday games as the #2 seed and faced a semifinal matchup against a S. Orange/Maplewood team that had defeated them in league play the prior week. This time, Westfield emerged on top 11-1 in 4 innings. The quick finish gave the team plenty of rest on the extremely hot day while the gritty Westfield Blue team gave host Elmora a tough game while the White team girls cheered them on.

In the championship game, Westfield faced the same Elmora team that defeated them on Saturday, but this time came out on top with a nailbiting 2-1 victory.  

The championship game featured excellent fielding, including a throw from centefielder Maggie Rivers from the outfield wall to pitcher Caitlin Clancy who made the relay to catcher Erica Lawrence to cut down Elmora pitcher Jocelyn Vega trying to score from first base on the long hit.  

The game entered the top of the final inning tied 1-1. The winning run was setup by the heads-up baserunning of shortstop Megan Neiswenter who beat out a perfectly-executed bunt and made it all the way to third base following a throwing error on the play. She then scored what would turn out to be the game winning run on a bloop single by Rachel Rothenberg over the head of the Elmora second baseman.  

Starting pitcher, Clancy, pitched five innings of 1-run ball before yielding to Rothenberg in the bottom of the 6th inning. The championship was clinched when catcher Lawrence threw to third baseman Megan Prasek who put the tag on an Elmora runner trying to steal third base.  

After the game, both teams were awarded trophies and in a show of sportsmanship, cooled off together on slip-and-slides provided by the Elmora hosts.

Throughout the weekend, all 12 girls on the Westfield team made significant contributions at the plate, on the basepaths, and in the field. The team also includes Allison Escaldi, Rachel Harvey, Maggie Kelly, Noelle Laskaris, Amanda Ludwig, and Meaghan Mulvanerty, and is coached by HC Pete Spadaccini and assistants Ron Neiswenter, Brad Rothenberg, Michael Ludwig, Emma Crossland, and Molly Jennings.