Marana (West U.S.) has qualified for the eight-team final bracket of the Junior League Softball World Series despite losing Tuesday to Prague, Czech Republic (Europe-Africa), by a score of 15-12, giving the Southern Arizona team a 1-2 record in Pool B.
Marana will advance to the final bracket that starts Thursday at Kirkland, Wash., because it has the tie-breaker against Mexico City (Latin America) for the fourth and last playoff spot out of Pool B.
Mexico City, which lost Marana on the opening day of the World Series on Sunday, fell to 0-3 after its 10-4 loss to Prague later Tuesday. If Marana and Mexico City finish 1-3, Marana has the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Marana plays Sealy, Texas (Southwest U.S.) (2-1) on Wednesday at 11 a.m. to conclude play in Pool B. Mexico City faces Milford, Conn. (East U.S.) (3-0) at 2 p.m.
Here are the Pool B standings heading into the last day of pool play Wednesday (top four teams advance to the eight-team single-elimination final bracket):
- East U.S. – Milford (Conn.) 3-0
- Southwest U.S. – Sealy (Texas) 2-1
- Europe-Africa – Prague (Czech Republic) 2-2
- West U.S. – Marana 1-2
- Latin America – Mexico City 0-3
Marana tallied 11 hits against Prague on Tuesday but it could not keep up with the Czechoslovakian team’s 18 hits.
Aubriana Gray and Cadence Beck each hit a home run for Marana, and Kyla Layton hit a triple.
Addie Angell’s bases-clearing double, Gray’s two-run home run and Isabella Brooks-Rojel’s two-run single highlighted a seven-run fourth inning for Marana that gave it a 7-3 lead.
Prague answered with five runs in the top of the fifth, but Marana responded with three more runs in the bottom of the inning to go back ahead 10-8.
Layton’s RBI triple was part of that rally.
Prague then scored seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 15-10 lead.
Beck hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs, but Marana could not score more.
SUNDAY
JUNIOR LEAGUE SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES AT KIRKLAND (WASH.)
Pool B: Marana (West U.S.) 15, Mexico City (Latin America) 4, 6 innings
MONDAY
JUNIOR LEAGUE SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES AT KIRKLAND (WASH.)
Pool B: Millford, Conn. (East U.S.) 15, Marana (West U.S.) 0, 4 innings
TUESDAY
JUNIOR LEAGUE SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES AT KIRKLAND (WASH.)
Pool B: Prague, Czech Republic (Europe-Africa) 15, Marana (West U.S.) 12
WEDNESDAY
JUNIOR LEAGUE SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES AT KIRKLAND (WASH.)
Pool B: Marana vs. Sealy, Texas (Southwest U.S.), 11 a.m. (ESPN+)
THURSDAY
JUNIOR LEAGUE SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES AT KIRKLAND (WASH.)
Quarterfinals: Marana vs. TBD
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