WEST REGION JUNIOR SOFTBALL
Arthur Pack Regional Park: July 18-24
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Devin Bowman, Arizona (MVP)
Maddy Bleak, Arizona
Ava Finn, Arizona
Aymee Smith, Arizona
Olivia Lamoreaux, Arizona
Paige Wright, Arizona
Sidney Webster, Utah
Michaela Whitehair, Utah
Payton Lister, Utah
Kenlee Clove, Utah
Ella Claus, Washington
Annika Dayberry, Washington
Natalia Farago, Washington
Karli Kostoff, Washington
Emily Anguiano, Southern California
Janelle Ocegueda, Southern California
Alexis Lipary, Northern California
Kyomi Apalit, Northern California
Aimee Meyers, Oregon
Brianna Rouse, Oregon
Olyvia Mamae, Alaska
Malama Matautia, Alaska
Alanna Hudgens, Thornydale
Alyssa Pogue, Thornydale
And Arizona (Mesa Four Peaks) is headed to the Junior League Softball World Series 15-9 over Utah. pic.twitter.com/6bWl1A5QD4— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) July 25, 2019
Four Peaks Little League beat Utah 15-9 Wednesday night at Arthur Pack Regional Park to advance to the Junior League Softball World Series slated to start this Sunday, July 28 in Kirkland, Washington.
Located in Mesa, Four Peaks Little League represented Arizona at the Western Regional after the team went 3-0 at the state tournament in Avondale. Arizona went 4-0 at the West Regional and will now represent the West Region where the team will face the Latina American Region champion, Curacao Little League on Sunday morning.
Other World Series teams: Philippines (Asian-Pacific), Elnora, Alberta (Canada), Italy (Europe-Africa), Canfield-Poland, Ohio (Central), Tampa Bay, Florida (Southeast), Columbus, Texas (Southwest) and the host Washington team, Eastlake Little League. Haverstraw-Nanuet, New York and Nanticoke/Laurel/Millsboro, New Jersey are playing on Thursday to decide the East Region. Arizona will play the winner of that game on Monday afternoon.
Snow Canyon Little League of Utah won the 2018 World Series championship after winning the West Region in Marana.
Arizona is now 7-0 in the postseason and the team has outscored its opponents 96-29 in the process. As you can see, Arizona has plenty of firepower at the plate and it begins with Devin Bowman. A freshman at Mesa Mountain View, Bowman was pitching for the Four Peaks Little League Baseball All-Stars last year but she’s on her way to the World Series this summer.
“Tucson was fun and this is something we’ve never done before,” Bowman said. “I’m just hitting the ball. I don’t think I’m known as a home run hitter.”
Bowman finished the West Region 10-for-15 (.667) at the plate with 3 home runs, 2 doubles and 13 RBI, earning AllSportsTucson.com Most Valuable Player honors.
When asked about representing the West at the World Series, Bowman simply said, “That’s crazy.”
Arizona took a 4-1 lead after the first inning and an 8-2 lead into the bottom of the third but Utah battled back to tie the game up 8-8. Utah is a team known for fighting back and that spirit is exemplified in pitcher Payton Lister.
An entering freshman, Lister knows this summer is part of a greater journey.
“We had a really good week and a good time,” Lister explained. “We got to spend a lot of time together as a team and we got to play the game we love.”
Lister hit a 2-RBI double in the semifinal round to give Utah a win over Washington, guaranteeing a full week for the Cedar National Little Leaguers.
“We knew we could because we knew we had a strong team,” Lister added. “We knew we could.”
With the game tied 8-8, Arizona scored five in the fourth and two more in the fifth to hold off Utah. Michaela Whitehair went 4-5 with 4 RBI to lead Utah at the plate. Lister went 2-4 with 2 RBI and Madison Fuller picked up two more RBI for Utah.
Maddy Bleak hit two doubles for Arizona and she finished 3-5 with five RBI. Madison Hutchison added three RBI as did Rylee Liljenquist. Liljenquist went 3-4 and Paige Wright went 2-4 with a double and an RBI. Olivia Lamoreaux picked up five strikeouts for Arizona.
Mesa Four Peaks Little League and Mesa Mountain View standout Maddie Bleak talks World Series pic.twitter.com/3mkbiARNOk— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) July 25, 2019
Host Team: Thornydale Little League
Alaska: Nunaka Valley Little League
Arizona: Mesa Four Peaks Little League
Northern California: Martinez Little League
Oregon: Wallowa Valley Little League
Southern California: South El Monte Little League
Utah: Cedar National Little League
Washington: Redmond West Little League
THURSDAY, JULY 18
So. California 7, Alaska 1
Utah 21, No. California 5
Washington 23, Thornydale 2
Mesa 19, Oregon 0
FRIDAY, JULY 19
No. California 14, Thornydale 0
Alaska 10, Oregon 7
Utah 7, Washington 6
Mesa 19, So. California 8
SATURDAY, JULY 20
Washington 8, No. California 7
So. California 11, Alaska 0
Oregon 8, Thornydale 6
No. California 19, Alaska 10
MONDAY, JULY 22
Washington 5, So. California 4
No. California 11, Oregon 1
TUESDAY, JULY 23
Mesa 11, Utah 7
Utah 4, Washington 3
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Mesa 15, Utah 9
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017 and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
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