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***image1***The KMC Little League Senior Girls Softball All-Stars recently returned from the Senior Softball Little League World Series Aug. 3 to 9 in Lower Sussex, Del., after winning two of five scheduled games.
The team, comprised of 11 athletes and two coaches from the KMC, represented Europe, Middle East and Africa. The EMEA team was one of four international teams that competed in the 10-team tournament.
Historically, EMEA has done poorly in the World Series, winning just one game at the senior level since 2004. It’s not surprising because girls on other teams grow up playing ball together. In addition, those players play year-round softball including travel ball and high school ball. Other teams also play games through district, state, sectional and regional competitions to get to the Senior World Series.
The EMEA champions played only three games in regional play to get to the “big dance.” Past EMEA teams haven’t been competitive, but this year’s EMEA team made history as the only EMEA team to win two games.
“It is really astounding when you think about what our girls did this year,” said Phil Byrd, team manager.
According to District 3 officials, more than 100,000 girls compete at the senior level each year.
“Our athletes were 11 of 130+ girls from throughout the world to earn the right to compete in the World Series. And, to win two games against teams that played upwards of 25 games to get to the series makes what our EMEA team did even more impressive,” Byrd said.
“Our EMEA team is comprised of military brats who came together over the past few months and held their own with the best in the world,” said Coach Don Colbert. “Our girls are amazing!”
“No one expected our team to win a game,” said Byrd.
But that is exactly what the team and coaching staff wanted other teams to think. The team lost their first game 3-1 to a scrappy Asia-Pacific team from the Philippines. In the second game, the EMEA team beat themselves, giving up 8 outs and 11 runs in the first inning to USA Central, the Indiana District 11 from South Bend, Ind.
The EMEA team rebounded in their third contest, thumping USA Southwest from West Mesa Little League in Albuquerque, N.M. The pitching guns led by Lindsey Jones, Mary Peterson and Maddie Byrd shut them down, allowing only three runs on three hits while the offense woke up, driving in 10 runs on 10 hits.
During the final pool play game, EMEA stood toe-to-toe against USA South from Green Run Little League in Virginia Beach, Va., a team that did not lose a game on their road to the World Series. EMEA lost a heartbreaker, 8-7.
In their final game, EMEA made their final statement, crushing team Canada and garnering 12 runs on 13 hits, allowing only two runs in the six-inning rout.
Ashleigh Colbert led hitting with an outstanding .444 average followed closely by Maddie Byrd with .437 and Lindsey Jones with an enviable .400. The pitching trio of Jones, Byrd and Peterson kept the other teams off guard, combining for 35 strike-outs – 27 of which were recorded by Byrd.
For a complete run down of the Little League tournament including box scores and statistics on all the All-Stars, go to www.district3.org and look for EMEA.
(Courtesy of KMC Little League Senior Girls Softball All-Stars)
