Up and Down with Westwood Softball U10 Team

The roller coaster ride season continues for Westwood Softball's U10 team, but they still remain in the mix in the Midland Park-sponsored Summer League.

On July 5, the Cardinals staved off a huge comeback by Washington Township, winning a close one on the road 13-11.

Westwood scored six in the first, led by Tina F (RBI single scored Jillian P), Annaliese G (RBI ground-out) and Lauren B (two-run base hit knocked in Ally D and Shannon M). The Cardinals increased their lead with four more in the second (Jillian P and Molly M set the table for consecutive RBI singles by Tina F, Sam L, Ally D and Shannon M) and one in the third (Katie A leadoff walk turned into a run thanks to Delaney F's bases loaded walk) to make it 11-1.

Washington Township stormed back, however, with seven runs in the third and three in the fourth to tie the game at 11.

Westwood responded immediately in the fifth with a go-ahead run (Kaitlyn K's ground-out led to a throwing error which scored Crystal G), before adding an insurance run in the sixth (Sam L delivered Jillian P with an RBI single) to make it 13-11.

After Township's big rally, Cardinal pitching stiffened, with Lauren B and Tina F combining to retire nine of the final ten batters to preserve the victory.

Defensively, Westwood featured solid play from every infielder (Sam L, Tina F, Shannon M, Ally D, Jillian P). Lauren B made a nice catch in center field, then doubled up the runner at first, and Sam L perfectly fielded a bunt in the seventh and fired a strike to an alert Shannon M covering first to nip the speedy Township runner.

Tina F led the way on the mound, pitching three innings of one-run ball, allowing no hits and two walks. Lauren B battled out of a bases-loaded jam with nobody out in the fifth without allowing a run, finishing the inning with a fielder's choice to Kaitlyn K at home.

It was a true team effort by Westwood; instead of folding after giving back a 10-run lead, the girls banded together to play outstanding softball in the final three frames.  

Two days later, the Westwood Cardinals dropped a 5-2 home game to Hawthorne on July 7.

Pitching was not the problem for the Cardinals, as Tina F and Sam L combined for six innings of one-run ball. And Katie A deserved a better fate in her one inning of work, as the usually stout Westwood defense faltered. Unfortunately, Hawthorne's pitching was even better on this night, and their defense made all of the plays.

Westwood took an early 2-0 lead in the first, as Tina F hustled around the bases to score on a single by Sam L, before Ally D delivered her own RBI base hit. But that would be it from the Westwood offense, as Hawthorne tallied four in the third and one in the fourth to complete the scoring.

The Cardinals were led offensively by Ally D (two singles), and Jillian P, Molly M, Tina F, Sam L and Lauren B each contributed a base hit. The defense featured nice plays by Lauren B (caught a fly ball in center field and doubled off the runner at second base), as well as Tina F, Ally D, Shannon M, Sam L and Delaney F.

Westwood dropped to 3-3-1 with the loss. The fact that they are still in contention in this tough league is a testament to their hard work and team spirit. Stay on top of all the action: http://www.midlandparksports.com/mpsoft/summer/u10stand.html