Day 3 of City Series, Panthers vs. Diamond Girls

On Wednesday, September 2nd, day three of the Bristol Girls Little League Softball City Series featured the Diamond Girls (1-1) and the Panthers (1-1) in an elimination game.   

Starting pitcher Hailey Beebe of the home team Diamond Girls retired the first three Panthers batters in order on 12 pitches to begin the game. In the bottom of the first, after a leadoff single by shortstop Haley Powers and a walk to catcher Tori Hogan, Beebe hit a 175-foot double to left field scoring both Powers and Hogan.  An excellent throw from the warning track of the outfield to third baseman Ava Johnston enabled Johnston to tag out Beebe attempting to reach third on the play.  The offense didn’t stop there though, as the following hitter, Breyona Demora, singled and eventually scored the team’s third run as the Diamond Girls sent seven batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning.

Gia Hatcher and Camryn Mastobattisto provided the offense for the Panthers in the top of the second inning, as 2 runs came across. In the bottom of the second, Diamond Girls’ Meredith Creamer drew a walk and later scored making it a 4-2 ballgame after two innings.  

Both teams would add to that total in the third inning giving the Diamond Girls a 6-3 lead, but if not for an amazing defensive play by Desiree Nickerson on a deep fly ball to center field of the bat of Hailey Beebe, the Diamond Girls would have surely added to their total.

The Panthers continued to chip away at the lead and put up two more runs in the top of the 4th inning to draw within one run of the Diamond Girls.  

Both teams would score again in the fifth inning to bring the score to 10-8 heading into the sixth and final inning.

The Panthers Nickerson drew a walk on four pitches and scored on a Maria Albert two-out single to once again bring the Panthers within one run of the Diamond Girls.  Albert would advance to third on Ava Johnston’s infield single.  However, the tying run would be stranded at third base as game would end on an odd play that saw Diamond Girls first baseman Stella Siranni alertly apply the tag to the runner for the third and final out.

Gia Hatcher, 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored, and Camryn Mastrobattisto, 3-for-3 with 2 runs scored, paced the offense for the Panthers.

Beebe, with her big two run double in the first, paced the Diamond Girls attack.

The Diamond Girls (2-1) will meet the Gators (2-0) in the City Series final on Thursday.

Championship Game, Diamond Girls vs. Gators

Thursday’s City Series championship game was an absolute masterpiece featuring the leagues top two teams in the major division.  The Gators (2-0 in tournament play, and 11-2 in the regular season) and Diamond Girls (2-1 in tournament play, and 9-2 in the regular season) were a perfect match-up for the City Series Championship.  The six inning game was a low-scoring affair featuring two outstanding pitching performances by league-age 12 year olds Hailey Beebe and Brooklynne Whitlock. 

Unlike the previous game, there would be little offense, and no lead changes.  The hitting that had flourished throughout the tournament was overshadowed by flawless defense in the field, and dominating pitching. 

The Gators starting pitcher Brooklynne Whitlock, followed up a 2-hit, 14 strikeout performance on Tuesday, with another strong outing.  Haley Powers led off the game with a single to right field, but the Diamond Girls were unable to capitalize as Whitlock struck out the next three batters to end the top of the first inning.  

Gators shortstop and leadoff hitter Leah Webber hit the second pitch she saw for a base hit to left field and later scored on a Whitlock sacrifice fly to give the Gators a 1-0 lead. First baseman Bellah Loveall would add a sharp single to left field, but Beebe would induce a ground out on the very next pitch to end the inning.

Whitlock would return to the mound in the top of the second inning and have one of those rare moments in softball; she struck out the side on nine consecutive pitches.  Beebe also breezed through the second inning striking out two and stranding Gators Abby Corbin at second base, after she had singled and stole second, keeping the score 1-0.

Powers would reach base safely again on a two-out walk in the third inning, but the inning would end four pitches later on a ground ball out to shortstop Leah Webber.

The Gators would add a run in the bottom of the third inning as Kayla Webber singled, stole two bases and scored on a Whitlock single to centerfield, to give them a 2-0 lead.  

Gators third baseman Madison Foertsch hit a leadoff triple to right field in the bottom of the fourth inning and would eventually score on a Gabby Fernandez sacrifice to give the Gators a 3-0 lead.

That score would stand for the next two innings as pitchers Beebe and Whitlock would pitch complete games in their final Little League game. 

“Hailey Beebe is a truly gifted ballplayer, and a real competitor.  It will be good to have the girls play together again in the Junior League this Fall.”  Gators manager Adam Whitlock said of the Diamond Girls star player.

Beebe, pitching in an unprecedented fourth City Series in four years, scattered six hits and struck out seven batters allowing three runs.  Whitlock, playing in her third City Series final in three years, pitched a complete game shutout, allowing three hits and striking out 15 over six innings to win the City Series Championship for the second year in a row for the Gators.

Beebe and Whitlock, two longtime teammates, that had played the previous five seasons together will rejoin their 12-year-old teammates next Tuesday as the Bristol Little League all stars face Wallingford in a best of three series for the District 5 Championship and the right to enter the Little League State Tournament.

“I’m so proud of my girls because they give it their all every practice and every game with no complaints.  Want to say thank you to my assistant coaches for giving their time and helping the girls become better players on and off the field,”  Said Diamond Girls Manager AJ Sirianni.

“As good of a pitching performance as the crowd at Rockwell Park just witnessed, the best part of the evening was at the conclusion when friends from both teams embraced one another, and displayed the type of sportsmanship that any parent would be proud of.”  Added Whitlock.

The Diamond Girls Manager concurred.  “I would like to add that I’m so impressed with the sportsmanship throughout the league from the coaches to the players that the BGLLS has instilled into everyone. Can’t wait to coach again!” Said Sirianni.

Whitlock would go on to say “As an administrator, I’m very appreciative of the time commitment and tutelage that all of our team managers and coaches put into this season.  The winter clinics really boosted the skills of more than 125 ballplayers in the city.  The growth from each player across the entire league was impressive.  We can thank Erin Girard for the growth in pitching this year.  Her involvement was instrumental to their development.  There are no guarantees during a global pandemic, and in the greater context of health and safety, softball doesn’t necessarily rate high on the priority scale.  That said, this season was really good for the children.  They needed the interaction and activity.  So we’re fortunate we were able to facilitate in a safe and healthy manner.  We had more than 230 girls play ball across 19 teams in Bristol this summer.  Given all the adversity, that’s pretty amazing!”