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LLB Datacenter
Last updated
12-28-09 04:23 PM
 
Palmdale Little League
(661) 285-2166
P.O. Box 900732
55th Street East & Avenue R-4
Palmdale, California
93590
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Tuesday, August 16
2005 Big League Softball World Series - District 51 takes two for starters
District 51 takes two for starters
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Tuesday, August 16, 2005. By STEVE UNGREY Special to The Valley Press
KALAMAZOO - If Antelope Valley District 51 was looking to make a big splash on the first day of the Big League Softball World Series, it succeeded. Not only did Antelope Valley win its first game of the day against the Netherlands, it knocked off the host team of the tournament for the first time in five years. It was a day of jubilation for the Big League girls, who topped the Netherlands squad 6-1 and then got a last-second RBI from Kelsie Blankemeyer in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Michigan District 2. "That was a huge game for us," Antelope Valley manager Scott Rutledge said. "District 2 always fields one of the best teams in the tournament and we hadn't beaten them in so long that it was such a huge win for the girls." Blankemeyer got her team off to a strong start in the District 2 game with a two-run homer in the second inning, giving Antelope Valley a 2-0 lead. District 2 rallied in front of its home crowd and tied the game 2-2. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh Blankemeyer again came through for District 51, launching a fly ball to left-center that ended up dropping for the game-winning hit when two of District 2's players collided. Antelope Valley managed three hits against District 2's solid pitching staff, but it was enough to keep the team undefeated at the conclusion of the first day of pool play. Antelope Valley is 2-0 and in first place in Pool A, while West Virginia District 3 is 1-0. Antelope Valley will play four pool-play games before Thursday, when it will play a team to be determined from the other pool based on how those squads finished. If Antelope Valley is among the top two teams in Pool A, it will play in the championship bracket for the right to move on to the final round. "I just told the girls they had to keep fighting," Rutledge said. "We had a good first day and we need to keep it going." In game one, Antelope Valley scored its first run in the first inning when Nicole Torres singled, stole second and came home on a hit by Brooke Stix. After Blankemeyer scored in the second to make it 2-0 (off a double by Alaina Devenney), Stix made it 3-0 in the third when Blankemeyer singled her home from second. Antelope Valley added three runs in the sixth inning when Stix, Katie Cornelison and Ashley Thomas all came home, tacking on insurance runs to seal the victory. Antelope Valley was without one of its ace pitchers, Nikki Perez, who had to leave the team after regionals due to college commitments, but it still fielded a difficult staff for opponents during the first day of competition. Amanda Nelson and Laura Calvert combined for the victory in the Netherlands game, while Calvert threw all seven innings in the win over District 2. "We still have a very good staff," Rutledge said. "You need pitchers like that at this level." Rutledge and his managers only got a chance to look at one inning against their next opponent, as the matchup between the Philippines and District 3 (West Virginia) was suspended after nine innings due to darkness with the teams tied at 0-0. That game will be completed today before Antelope Valley's scheduled 12:30 p.m. matchup with the Philippines.
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