McLean Wins 9/10 Championship Defeating Great Falls

Jamie Loving, a Little League softball manager, long time board member, and budding sports writer, sent us this story about McLean's championship win Saturday.

By Jamie Loving
Photos by Lisa Haas

The McLean 9/10* Softball All-Stars  won the District IV Championship Saturday by defeating Great Falls in the best of three series, two games to none. 

McLean won the first game of the series 10-3 thanks to a dominating complete game pitching performance by Julia Longo, who retired 15 consecutive batters at one point, and some timely hitting by Kathryn Sandercock who had a bases clearing RBI triple in the game and Natalie Ryan who battled for a critical walk in McLean’s 10-run third inning. 

Sarah Stahlman snared a line shot in centerfield in the first inning to help keep the game close so McLean could break it open late in the game.

 In the second game of the series, McLean came from behind to win 7-5.  A solid pitching performance from Sandercock and Jamie Wang, who came on in relief in the fifth inning  closed out the game. 

The offensive stars were Julia Jones who had 2 hits, Cate Willing who had a key RBI, Longo who hit a 2-run inside the park home run to put McLean ahead for good, and Katelyn Haas whose bunt single started a game tying rally in the third inning. 

Defensive highlights were turned in by Alannah Rivera, Rachel Remer and Abby Covington while Riley Simon was notable for terrific base running in both games setting up big innings and scoring runs in each game.

The team is managed by Rob Longo and assisted by Steve Remer, Heath Simon, Bill Rivera and Colin Sandercock.

 McLean now advances to the 9/10 Softball State Tournament in Coeburn, Virginia beginning on July 15, 2011.  McLean has won the 9/10 State Tournament 5 times with the last victory coming in 2008.

*9/10 refers to the age of the players.

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