World's Best! Patterson wins 12U Babe Ruth World Series
JENSEN BEACH — For a team that has fought through adversity at times throughout the postseason, it only was fitting that Patterson make things a little more difficult for themselves in Friday’s 6-4 victory against Jefferson Parish Recreation Department East for the Babe Ruth Softball 12U World Series title.
While Jefferson Parish slowly had begun to gain the momentum, turning a 6-1 deficit at one point into a 6-4 Patterson lead, it really turned up the heat in the top of the sixth inning.
After Patterson recorded the first two outs, Jefferson Parish pitcher Delaney Walker, facing an 0-2 count from Patterson pitcher Olivia Black, singled to centerfield.
The next batter, Alexis Yuratich, reached base on an error by Patterson shortstop Mikah Ortiz and Walker’s courtesy runner, Brenna Scardino, advanced to third base on the play, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate.
However, instead of panicking in the moment, Patterson simply fought through the adversity as it had much of this postseason as Black induced a ground ball from the next batter, Lawren DiBella, which was fielded by Ortiz and thrown to first for the game’s final out.
“We were made for “We were made for this,” Ortiz said of the team’s ability to keep their composure when things got tough in the sixth inning. “We were used to pressure because travel ball, it’s all pressure, and even at practice when coaches are yelling at us, it all prepares us for this, and so I don’t think we were nervous at all. this,” Ortiz said of the team’s ability to keep their composure when things got tough in the sixth inning. “We were used to pressure because travel ball, it’s all pressure, and even at practice when coaches are yelling at us, it all prepares us for this, and so I don’t think we were nervous at all. We knew that if we could hold them, we were going to win.”
Patterson clinched the 12U World Series for Patterson after a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat in the 10U semifinals a year ago.
So what is it like to win a World Series?
“It was amazing, everything I’d imagined it to be,” Black said. Always dreamed about doing this, and it finally came true, so I’m just really happy that it happened this way.”
Black earned the win Friday as she pitched a complete game and surrendered four runs (three earned) on 10 hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Friday’s meeting was the seventh this postseason between Patterson and Jefferson Parish as the teams had split their previous six matchups, three games apiece.
Patterson’s (15-3 in nonexhibition games at the Louisiana tournament, Southwest Regional and World Series) three losses this post season all came to Jefferson Parish. After falling at state to the New Orleans-area squad, Patterson climbed its way through the loser’s bracket and defeated Jefferson Parish once before falling in a winner-take-all game that was shortened due to weather.
At the Southwest Regional, Patterson again fell to Jefferson Parish before winning three games on the tournament’s final day — the final two against Jefferson Parish — to win the Southwest Regional crown.
At the World Series, Patterson was the lone 12U squad to finish the event undefeated.
Both Patterson coach Harris DeHart and Jefferson Parish coach Dawn Benoit agreed Friday’s Jefferson Parish-Patterson game simply was another classic between the two teams.
Jefferson Parish took its lone lead in the top of the first inning when Yuratich, who doubled to the centerfield wall to lead off the game, scored on a passed ball for a 1-0 lead.
Patterson countered with three runs in the bottom of the first inning, two of those on Amaya Williams’ single to centerfield for a 2-1 Patterson lead.
“It felt good, because I’ve been battling that same pitcher since state, and I could never get a square hit on her, and when I finally did that, I felt like I accomplished something,” Williams said.
The local squad’s third run came home on a sacrifice fly by Hilary Pillaro.
Patterson added three more runs in the bottom of the third for a 6-1 advantage and seemed in control of the game.
However, Jefferson Parish made things interesting the remainder of the way as it scored two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth.
Lillian Hernandez’s groundout to third base and Walker’s single to centerfield accounted for both Jefferson Parish runs in the fourth.
Aubrie Claverie’s single scored Mykail Lusco in the fifth inning. Lusco led off the inning with a double that dropped near the leftfield wall.
While Patterson had success early, Walker, who relieved starter Carley Koch in the third inning, kept Patterson off the scoreboard. In 2.1 innings, she surrendered one hit and struck out five.
“Delaney is a lefthander, just like Carley was, and she hides the ball very well, so you can’t see exactly how it comes out of her (glove) when she releases it, so she did a very good job on the mound,” Benoit said.
Koch suffered the loss. In 2.2 innings, she surrendered six runs (six earned) on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
Claverie led the Jefferson Parish offense with a 3-for-3 performance with a double and an RBI. Other top Jefferson Parish offensive contributors included Walker, 2-for-2 with an RBI; Allie Domangue, 2-for-3, a run scored; Lusco, 1-for-3, a double and a run scored; Gabrielle Perl, 1-for-3; DiBella, 1-for-4; and Hernandez, an RBI.
Ortiz led Patterson with a 2-for-2 performance with two runs scored. Other top Patterson offensive contributors included Abbie Scully, 2-for-3; Williams and Pillaro, each 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored; Laila Dugar, 1-for-3, a double and an RBI; and Hailey Skiles, 1-for-3.
NOTES: Patterson received several honors following the series. Williams was named to the 12U All-Defensive Team and the 12U World Series team. Ortiz and Skiles also were named to the 12U World Series Team. Ortiz was named the 12U Batting Champion, while Black was named the 12U Most Outstanding Player. Maggie Lemoine was named the top player from the championship game. DeHart thanked the team’s sponsors and all those who supported the team in person or at home.