Slammers Stay In Winner's Bracket At World Series With Two Wins

Levittown Slammers manager Mike Gordek expressed extreme confidence in his team after they finished pool play at the Babe Ruth 16-and-under Softball World Series on Tuesday with a 3-1 record.

"We'll win both of our games [on Wednesday]," he said. "You can quote me on that."

Gordek's prophecy came true on Wednesday, as his team did just that. They topped a team from North Olympic, Washington by a 6-3 score in the afternoon before topping a team from Wausaw, Wisconsin 2-1 on a walk-off single at night. The victories make the Slammers one of two teams left in the tournament without a loss in bracket play.

Meghan Acton’s double in the bottom of the seventh inning of the nightcap scored Toniann Pasqueralle and finished off the successful day for the Slammers, whose reward is a rematch with Wilson County, North Carolina tomorrow. Wilson County is the only team to beat the Slammers in the World Series to date.

The Slammers were carried through pool play by their pitching, and their two starters were up to the task again. Ashley Massoni, fresh off of pitching the first perfect game in Babe Ruth World Series history the day before, pitched all seven innings again today and allowed three runs (two earned) and six hits. She struck out 11.

Alannah Basile’s start in the second game was stronger. Basile gave up just one hit in a complete game effort and allowed just one unearned run in the fourth. She struck out 12.

The Slammers were able to manufacture runs with stolen bases and clutch hitting in the first game. They stole six bases overall, with Sabrina Gordek and Shamar Sanchez swiping two apiece. Gordek had a hit, walked twice and scored two runs, while Sanchez also scored two runs without registering a hit. Alannah Basile had two sacrifice hits to drive in runs in the first game, while her sister Sam went 2-for-3 and drove in a run.

Pasqueralle and Acton had multiple-hit games in the nightcap. Pasqueralle went 2-for-3 with a run scored while Acton went 2-for-4 with a triple. Gordek drove Acton in for the Slammers’ first run in the bottom of the fourth.

The Slammers’ game against Wilson County today is at 3 p.m. Mountain Time (5 p.m. in Levittown). If the Slammers win, they move on to the World Series Championship Game on Saturday at 1 p.m. MDT (a change from 6 p.m. MDT). If they lose, they play for their tournament lives on Friday at 3:30 p.m. MDT.

For brackets, stats, standings and all other information about the Babe Ruth World Series, visit their website. You can follow tomorrow’s game live at the Babe Ruth World Series website here.