The Arlington Sage 14-under girls softball team won the USSSA B Space Coast World Series recently in Viera, Fla.
The World Series fastpitch traveling softball title was a first for the Sage program at any age level in its 25-year history. The Sage finished 8-0 in the double-elimination Series, defeating teams from Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia and Virginia. They were 4-0 in the pool-play round without allowing a run and scoring 28.
The Sage recorded three walk-off victories, including in the championship game. The title contest finished near midnight because of rain delays, one lasting four hours.
The Sage had strong overall defense throughout the tournament and dominant pitching from Kaya Randall, Marie Gagliano, Grace Alltucker and Delaney Fleming.
The semifinal game against the Batbusters of Lutz, Fla., was a dramatic hours-long battle with several lightning delays. After trailing 4-0 in the top of the first inning and waiting out a long delay, the Sage rallied in the rain and chipped away at the lead, eventually tying it at 4-4 and going ahead 7-4.
After a late Batbusters surge tied the game at 7, the Sage walked it off for an 8-7 victory.
Catcher Sabrina Driggers started the final inning with a single to center, Mikka Christensen drew a walk, Emma Tao sacrifice bunted each into scoring position, Molly Rowland drew a walk to load the bases, and Grace Alltucker drove in the winning run with a grounder to shortstop.
“The team really came together and decided they weren’t going to give up,” Sage head coach Josh White said.
In the championship game, which lasted until almost midnight, the Central Florida Pride took a 3-2 lead, but the Sage again staged a rally to win 4-3 on Alltucker’s game-winning walkoff single.
The Sage defense was key throughout the tournament, including Driggers behind the plate, infielders Rowland, Fleming, Gagliano, Reagan Brand and Laura-Kate Gwilliam; and outfielders Samantha White, Claudia Craven, Mikka Christensen and Emma Tao.
Offensively, Rowland and Tao had eight stolen bases.
“They played really smart softball, putting pressure on the other teams to make defensive plays, and making it really hard for the other teams to score,” White said. “It really comes back to fundamentals and softball IQ.”
Alltucker was 8 for 16 in the tournament with two triples and seven RBI and two game-winning walk-off hits.
Randall was the overall tournament Most Valuable Player. The pitcher had a 6-0 record, threw 27 innings, struck out 25 and she also batted .353.
Following the series, the Sage had a 42-9 overall record. The team has won three tournaments this year and has finished in the top three in eight tourneys.
NOTES: Sage player Noa Kammerman, a top hitter, did not play in the World Series. She was competing with the Israeli Junior National team in the European Championships. . . . In order, the game scores for the Sage in the World Series were 1-0 over the Texas Bombers Gold, 11-0 against the Hampton Roads Warriors, 4-0 over the Louisiana Vandals, 12-0 against the Rampage Rippers of Washington state, 3-0 over the Lady Panthers of Florida, 3-2 over the Adel Heat of Georgia, 8-7 of the Batbusters and 4-3 against the Central Florida Pride.
