SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
There’s a first time for everything, and for Massapequa Park, New York, it was the first time for winning the Little League Girls Softball World Series.
And it also went undefeated through the regular season (16-0) before hoisting the championship trophy following the 5-2 win over North Carolina at Greenville, N.C. Sunday afternoon.
“Incredible feeling,” said catcher Sienna Erker. “I’ve always dreamed of something like this and now it happens.”
Manager Rich Eaton, also winning a title for the first time, said: “All summer, like, missing some of the places we usually go to at that time, and it all paid off. I’m so proud of them.”
NC was the home team and its fans turned out after it won its semifinals over Texas on Saturday. But Massapequa had a excellent turnout of family and friends at packed Brady Park.
“A lot of us stayed over,” said a happy fan Kyra Kallock who referred to the Saturday semis triumph over Connecticut. “Our girls played hard as usual, and we are so proud of them.”
Massapequa scored twice in the second inning on a two-run double to left-center by Erker. It added a run each in the fourth and fifth frames, North Carolina tallied two runs in the fourth and in the sixth, the New Yorkers added their final run.
They came up with 10 hits and played errorless ball. NC had four hits and committed one miscue.
“It was a busy summer, I’ll tell you that,” said assistant coach Paul Maddock. “Our kids always reported on time, stayed along as the weather was good, and we just talked about hoping to finally win it all.”
Compliments flowed.
Said Oyster Bay supervisor Joseph Saladino, “I’ve watched these kids in practice and at some regular games. They showed lots of sportsmanship and the coaching was excellent.”
The team celebrated dinner not long after the post-game ceremony.
North Carolina manager Jack Powers offered some congratulations: “They were a good ballclub, played well, and for us, it was only our third loss all season.”
And for the initial time, it was New York, New York, with an unbeaten regular campaign and the championship.
