By By GREG KATSKI
Staff Writer
The Washington 12U Babe Ruth softball all-stars took down southeast Denver, Colo., on Friday night 6-3 in a historic first-ever World Series win for the local team and league.
The win came one night after Washington lost to Wilson County 8-5 in the opening round of 2009 World Series pool play. After the opening round loss, Washington team manager Ann Lang said she was confident her girls would bounce back and blamed the loss on World Series jitters.
The all-stars didn’t take long to prove Lang right, as they put up six runs in the first two innings on the southeast Denver, Colo., club.
Once again, speedy leadoff hitter Catie Dority got the ball rolling for Washington in the top of the first with a leadoff bunt single.
After Dority stole second easily, Haley Wright brought her home with a deep double to right field. Following a walk by Adrianna Tyson, who hit a soaring three-run shot in the first game of the Series, Kelsey Lang dropped a bloop single to right, scoring Wright.
Washington starting pitcher Haley “Fire” Hutchins sent the southeast Denver, Colo. team down quietly in the first frame, before Washington pounced on its opponent’s starting pitcher, again. Washington No. 9 hitter Harley Hudson got the second inning started with a double down the left field line, and Dority followed with a single to center. Wright then reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. Hudson was tagged out on a close play at home on a passed ball for the first out of the inning, and Lang was walked. Dority squeaked in under the tag of the southeast Denver, Colo., catcher on another passed ball. Starting catcher Kaylee Jackson hit a sharp single to right field, scoring Wright. Hutchins helped her own cause by reaching first on a throwing error by the southeast Denver, Colo., shortstop.
The throwing error was huge, as Hutchins would have been the third out of the inning. The overthrow allowed Lang and Jackson to score before Hutchins was thrown out trying to reach second on the same play.
Hutchins, on her game most of the night, kept the southeast Denver, Colo., girls confused with a hard fastball until the top of the sixth inning.
With three runs already in, the southeast Denver, Colo., team brought the tying run to the plate before Hutchins induced a groundball out to Tyson at first.
Hutchins threw a complete game in the win, allowing four hits with seven strikeouts.
Washington Babe Ruth softball league president Greg Dority said Hutchins was simply overpowering.
“She pitched a very strong game,” he said.
Washington will return to action tonight as it takes on defending World Series champion, Hamilton, N.J. at 6 p.m. at Onnie Cockrell Field in Rock Ridge.
“Everybody is fired up and back on track,” Dority said.