The last time a Southern Arizona team advanced to the Little League Softball World Series, Sunnyside came home with a championship in 2013.
Members of Willcox’s current team were toddlers at the time. They hope to ride the arm of ace Hattie Macumber to bring home another title to this area after capturing the Little League West Regional title on Friday night.
Macumber allowed only three hits in her six innings of work in the 5-0 victory over Northern California at San Bernardino, Calif.
She walked two and struck out seven, including Northern California’s last batter with runners on second and third base.
HATTIE MACUMBER
Pitches Willcox to the Little League Softball World Series.
Southern Arizona’s first team to make it there since Sunnyside won the 2013 LL World Series title.
Willcox beat Northern California 5-0 to win the LL West Region title.
Macumber is hugging her dad… pic.twitter.com/2M0349K5EZ— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 27, 2024
In Willcox’s 4-0 run through the West Regional, Macumber pitched complete games in all of them and had three shut outs. She pitched a no-hitter against Nevada in a 2-0 win to open the regionals last week.
She allowed only 13 hits in 25 innings with 37 strikeouts and six walks.
“Hattie Macumber, I mean, what a rising star; we’ve got to keep that name on our minds because we’ll definitely see her down the road,” said ESPN analyst Natasha Watley, a two-time Olympian.
Macumber is entering the eighth grade and is a Class of 2029 talent.
Willcox scored all five of its runs in the first two innings against Northern California, a team it beat 6-3 in seven innings on Wednesday in the winners bracket final.
Jayleen Aguirre and Macumber — Willcox’s battery mates — started the bottom of the first with consecutive singles. After a ground out advanced both runners, Julie Larson hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Aguirre for the first run of the game.
A single by Daylin Medrano forced Macumber home to make it 2-0.
Stephany Aguilar tacked on another run with an RBI single.
ARIZONA CLAIMS GREENVILLE'S LAST SPOT
Willcox Little League will have West on their chest at the Little League Softball World Series #LLWS pic.twitter.com/9fchuDVRQR
— Little League (@LittleLeague) July 27, 2024
Willcox again led off with consecutive singles (by Aleesa Sanchez and Neveah Reyes) in the second inning.
The next two batters popped out and grounded out.
With Sanchez on third base and Reyes on second, Aguirre hit a single to center. Sanchez scored with ease but Reyes barely beat the throw to home plate to put Willcox ahead 5-0.
Reyes was initially called out by the home-plate umpire, but after the review, it was ruled Reyes was safe because the catcher did not apply the tag.
Macumber retired 15 of the first 18 batters she faced before Northern California’s first two batters in the sixth reached on an error and then a walk. Macumber got the next three batters out on an infield fly, groundout and strikeout to end the game.
Aguirre was the lone player in the game finishing with multiple hits, going 2 for 3 with a run and two RBIs.
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