The Arlington Sage 14-under girls softball team recently won the USSSA B Space Coast World Series in Viera, Florida.
The World Series title in fastpitch softball was the first for the Sage program in any age group in its 25-year history. The Sage finished the double-elimination series 8-0, defeating teams from Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia and Virginia. In the pool play round, they were 4-0, allowing no runs and scoring 28 points.
The Sage had three walk-off victories, including the championship game. The title match ended around midnight due to rain delays, one of which lasted four hours.
The Sage had a strong defense and dominant pitching throughout the tournament from Kaya Randall, Marie Gagliano, Grace Alltucker and Delaney Fleming.
The semifinal match against the Batbusters from Lutz, Florida, was a dramatic, hours-long battle with multiple lightning stoppages. After trailing 4-0 in the first inning and having to wait out a long stoppage, the Sage rallied in the rain and closed the gap, eventually tying the score at 4-4 and taking a 7-4 lead.
After a late push by the Batbusters to tie the game at 7:7, the Sage were able to win 8:7.
Catcher Sabrina Driggers started the final inning with a single to center, Mikka Christensen managed a walk, Emma Tao put both in scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, Molly Rowland managed a walk to load the bases, and Grace Alltucker scored the decisive run with a grounder to shortstop.
“The team really came together and decided not to give up,” said Sage head coach Josh White.
In the championship game, which lasted until nearly midnight, the Central Florida Pride took a 3-2 lead, but the Sage caught up again and won 4-3 after Alltucker brought home a walkoff single.
Sage’s defense was crucial throughout the tournament, including Driggers behind the plate, infielders Rowland, Fleming, Gagliano, Reagan Brand and Laura-Kate Gwilliam, and outfielders Samantha White, Claudia Craven, Mikka Christensen and Emma Tao.
On offense, Rowland and Tao stole eight bases.
“They played really smart softball, pressured the other teams to make defensive plays and made it really hard for the other teams to score,” White said. “It really comes down to fundamentals and softball IQ.”
Alltucker was 8 for 16 in the tournament with two triples and seven RBIs and two game-winning walk-off hits.
Randall was the tournament’s most valuable player. The pitcher had a 6-0 record, threw 27 innings, struck out 25 players and had a batting average of .353.
After the series, Sage had an overall record of 42-9. The team won three tournaments this year and finished in the top three in eight tournaments.
REMARKS: Sage player Noa Kammerman, a top hitter, did not play in the World Series. She participated in the European Championships with the Israeli junior national team. … In order, the Sage’s game results in the World Series were 1-0 against the Texas Bombers Gold, 11-0 against the Hampton Roads Warriors, 4-0 against the Louisiana Vandals, 12-0 against the Rampage Rippers of Washington State, 3-0 against the Lady Panthers of Florida, 3-2 against the Adel Heat of Georgia, 8-7 against the Batbusters and 4-3 against the Central Florida Pride.
