By Rick Assad
In what was an extremely close and hard-fought semifinal game between the Burbank Little League Majors (12 and under) and Apple Valley in the Southern California Little League Softball Championship Tournament, saw Burbank lose on the final play 2-1 on Thursday at Kessler Park in Bloomington.
The 1-1 affair was broken up on a game-winning single in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Haley Ray, who also singled in the game, was in the circle for Burbank as she struck out 10, allowed three hits and no walks and two runs over five and one-third innings.
Burbank scored the first run of the game when Brooklyn Freed doubled in a baserunner.
The rest of the team includes Lyric Agosti, Angelina Romberger, Ashlyn Castle, Brielle Lynch, Genesis Garcia, Leia Dobkin, Mila Olin, Ruby Prenovost, Ryder Simokovic and Sydney Shugar.
August Agosti is one of the Burbank All-Star coaches and is proud of what the team accomplished during this run.
“This was a special season for this Little League Majors team made up of girls who have been playing with and against each other in Burbank for years, some from a very young age,” he said. “They represented our city with class and excellence from their undefeated regular season to winning the Border Wars Tournament and Western Regional Invitational tournaments.”
Agosti added: “The future is bright for these young ladies, and we look forward to following their careers on the ballfields of Burbank and beyond for years to come,” he said.
Agosti was glad her team played well and tried their best even though they came up short.
“Win or lose, it doesn’t matter – I have the best times of my life just playing ball with my friends,” she said.
Not to be overlooked for their commitment and dedication are the volunteer coaches.
They include Head Coach Ron Romberger and his assistants Dani Morris Simokovic, Bill Lynch, and Scott Moro.
Here are some previous game recaps:
Game 4
In a blowout victory by Burbank 13-3 over Baldwin Park on Wednesday, the highlight was a six-run, four-hit third inning. Ray’s three-run triple and Prenovost’s run-tallying grounder were a part of the big frame.
Burbank tied the contest in the first when Ray added a run batted in single while Garcia (two hits) tossed in a run-scoring single in the second inning for a 3-1 edge.
Ray, who had two hits, was in the circle and toured three frames, gave up four hits and one run (unearned), striking out eight while not allowing a walk.
Game 3
Down by four runs in the fifth inning, Burbank’s rally came out short as the team fell 6-5 to the West End on Monday.
Ray was the starting pitcher and gave up six hits and six runs (none earned) across six innings, fanning 10 and walking one.
Shugar, Dobkin, Prenovost, Agosti, Romberger and Freed all had one hit and Ray, Agosti and Garcia each had an RBI.
Game 2
Burbank blasted San Marino National 12-2 on Saturday, July 6 after a colossal six-run bottom of the first inning as Shugar had a two-run single.
Two innings later, Burbank tacked on five runs on three hits with the big blast being Romberger’s three-run triple. Prenovost tossed in a run-tallying double.
Ray was once again in the circle as she didn’t allow a hit over tree frames, striking out eight and walking two.
Game 1
Freed delivered three hits in a 7-1 victory over Baldwin Park on Wednesday, July 3 that included an inside-the-park homer in the third inning. Freed also singled in the first and fifth inning.
Ray added a two-run triple and Castle had a run-scoring grounder in the bottom of the first.
Ray was the winning hurler as she gave up three hits and one run (unearned) over five frames, fanning seven and walking two.
Simokovic didn’t allow a run in her one inning in the circle for Burbank.
