ALACHUA, Fla. — When winning is contagious, even an invitation to all-star softball’s biggest stage can seem like an unworthy accolade following a seven-run loss, humbleness being a byproduct of defeat. But one thing is certain, the veteran Chocowinity 16U All-Star softball team certainly deserves to be there — a 2-1 finish propelled by some of the top lights-out pitching at the Babe Ruth Southeast Regional Tournament serves as testament to the team’s ability.

“When I told them they got an invite to the World Series, they felt like they didn’t earn it because they lost. I told them they showed a good effort,” said head coach Kam Rouse. “I know they’re going to make mistakes and I know there will be hitting droughts, we just have to figure out a way to work over that and we’ll recover. And they’re willing to do it. Some of them wanted to have practice (on Monday). They’re ready to work and ready to do whatever it takes to try to win the World Series.”

In baseball, a great pitching staff is the skeleton key to unlocking postseason success. In softball, all it takes is one. Chocowinity has the luxury of two arms — Alyssa McLawhorn and Hope McKeever, a sterling pair of hurlers who have carried their regular season and invitational tournament success over to the national stage, baffling opposing lineups with a full arsenal of pitches, racking up strikeouts.

Before succumbing to an injury in Game 3, McLawhorn tossed seven innings in the tournament opener against Longwood (Fla.), picking up 10 strikeouts and walking just two. She allowed just five hits and two seventh-inning runs.

In Game 2 against Stafford, McKeever all but matched her counterpart in the pitcher’s circle, minus a rocky fourth inning. McKeever fanned nine batters, giving up eight hits and six runs (four earned). It wasn’t her best outing of the all-star season, but Rouse believes it’s his two talented starters who will carry the team through the World Series, which will take place in Jensen Beach, Fla., from Aug. 6-13.

“Looking at the books, my two pitchers, we had more strikeouts than any other team, even the one that played more games than we did. That’s a big step,” Rouse said. “We just had to get out bats going. We have a couple of girls in slumps right now and once we get out of that, I feel like we can beat anybody.”

Chocowinity opened up the 16U Southeast Regional with a 3-2 victory over Longwood that came down to the wire.

While McLawhorn held the opposing offense scoreless for six frames, Chocowinity pulled out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning after Symone Ruffin and Madison Sadler, who led the game off with back-to-back walks, were brought home by a McKeever single to left-center.

Chocowinity picked up its third and final run of the game in the second inning. Alexis Preece reached on an error at second base and a bunt single from Ruffin set the stage for Sadler, who slashed an RBI double to left field.

Following four scoreless innings, Longwood struck for two quick runs in the bottom of the seventh, but escaped the final inning without letting the tying run cross.

In the second game of pool play on Thursday, Chocowinity knocked off Stafford (Va.), 8-6, as the heart of the order took advantage of some lax defensive play early.

Ruffin reached on an error by the center fielder to lead off the game and Kelsey Nobles moved her over with a walk. A single from Maggie Craig, another error, a walk to McLawhorn and a two RBI-double from Grace Rose resulted in a commanding 5-0 lead out of the gate.

The game remained scoreless until the fourth inning, when four singles, two walks and a costly infield error erased Chocowinity’s lead, putting Stafford up 6-5.

Chocowinity had its answer in the next frame, however, as the team posted three runs on hits from Craig, McKeever and Rose, a two-RBI single. The strong fifth inning was enough to finish pool play with a 2-0 record, earning Chocowinity the No. 2 overall seed in the single-elimination tournament.

Chocowinity’s run came to an end in the semi-finals, however, a crushing 8-1 defeat at the hands of No. 3-seeded West Volusia (Fla.), a loss reinforced by an early injury to McLawhorn.

West Volusia opened up for five runs in the second on four hits, including a home run by Kendal Walsh, a walk and an error. Chocowinity’s lone run came in the fifth after an error, a Taylor Langley single and a sacrifice fly from Sadler.

“They played real well overall,” said Rouse. “All three games we just had one bad inning, defensive-wise, but other than that it was a great tournament and a great experience for me and the girls.

“By far this is the best team I’ve ever had and I’ve been coaching since 2007. Attitude wise, they’re willing to work and the girls get along with each other. When we go down there to the World Series, they can lose the first two games and I’d still be proud of them. They’ve accomplished more than I ever expected of them. I knew I had a great team, but I didn’t know it was this great.”

The Chocowinity All-Stars become the first 16U team from the town to make the trip to the World Series. This year, they will join the Washington 8U All-Stars in Florida, a team that earned an automatic bid to the inaugural 8U series (July 29-Aug. 5) after taking the North Carolina Eastern Division State Championship earlier this month.