By Mike McClure
The Midwest Major League all-star softball team, with players from the Woodbridge and Millsboro Little Leagues, bounced back from a second round loss to Lower Sussex to beat the team twice including an 11-4 win last Sunday in Roxana to win the Delaware District III championship and advance to the state tournament.
“It feels good, the team played together,” Midwest manager Ronnie Fensick said of the team, which had just three practices together before beginning tournament play. “It didn’t take as much time as I thought it would. Everybody was learning each other the first couple games.”
The Midwest all-star softball team’s players and coaches are pictured with the Delaware District III banner following last Sunday’s 11-4 win over Lower Sussex.
Midwest opened play last Wednesday with a 17-13 victory over Cape while Lower Sussex topped Laurel, 18-3. Lower Sussex defeated Midwest, 11-3, on Thursday before Midwest earned another win over Cape (10-4) on Friday. Midwest avenged the earlier loss to Lower Sussex with an 8-6 victory on Saturday in the first championship game, forcing Sunday’s contest for all the marbles.
Sunday’s game got underway after an hour and a half weather delay. After holding Lower Sussex scoreless in the top of the first, Midwest put a run on the board in the bottom of the inning. Brooklyn Absher walked, Miranda Adkins reached on a fielder’s choice, the runners moved up on a wild pitch, and Absher scored on a single by Khloe Short (1-0).
Lower Sussex scored one run on three hits to knot the score at 1-1 in the second inning. Midwest exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the second as Bristol Hudson, Alexa McDowell, and Seren Herd each walked to load the bases; Madison Fisher and Absher drew walks to force in runs, Adkins reached first on an error to plate a run, Fisher scored on an error; Short singled in a pair; and Kinley Phillips hit a two-run double (9-1).
Fisher reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Absher for a Midwest run in the fourth. Lower Sussex scored a run on a hit and an error in the top of the fifth. Midwest pitcher Carsyn Riddle helped her own cause in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single to score Phillips (walk) to make it 11-2.
Lower Sussex scored two runs on two hits and an error in the top of the sixth before Fisher fielded a ground ball and threw to first for the final out (11-4).
The team has four players from Millsboro, all starters. Fensick credited Millsboro coaches Jeff Adkins and Jamie Riddle, his assistant coaches. “They are extremely professional, top notch coaches,” said Fensick.
The Delaware District III champs will compete in the state tournament in Milford starting next Monday.
“If everything is right they can play everybody,” Fensick said of his team.
