After winning district and state tournaments, the girls summer softball season ended for the McLean Little League Major All-Stars with a runner-up finish in the Southeast Region tournament, one win shy of qualifying for the World Series.
McLean lost in the region championship game to Rowan Little League of Salisbury, N.C., by a 9-4 score, finishing 4-2 in the tournament in Warner Robins, Ga.
A first-inning sacrifice fly by Vilija Plummer gave McLean a 1-0 lead. North Carolina scored four times in the bottom of the frame to take the lead for good, then added four more in the third inning and one in the fifth. North Carolina scored all of its runs with two outs.
“If we could have gotten the third outs earlier maybe that might have made the game more interesting and closer,” McLean manager Jamie Loving said. “We played well and I feel we can beat that team. But they played better that day.”
McLean had five hits in the loss and did not strike out.
“We put the ball in play pretty well,” Loving said.
McLean’s Debbie Workman had a hit and two RBI in the loss, Morgan McCambridge had two hits, Adeline Kennedy had a hit and one RBI, and Emma Wormington had a hit and took the loss on the mound, with five strikeouts.
McLean’s other loss was to Florida, 4-3, then it bounced back to blank that same team, 10-0, in the semifinals as Wormington threw a three-hit shutout with a walk and four Ks. Plummer had four hits. Wormington, Margaret Hood, Evie Cunningham and Avery Withers (two doubles) added two hits each. McLean had 18 hits.
McLean’s victories were over West Virginia by 14-0 and 6-3 scores and Georgia, 8-5.
In the 14-0 win over West Virginia, Wormington threw a one-hitter with no walks and five strikeouts. She also had three hits. Plummer, Kennedy and Zoe Deufel each had two hits.
Against Georgia, Gwyn Dryfoos had two hits and four RBI and Plummer had multiple hits. Withers made a good defensive play at shortstop.
In the 6-3 win over West Virginia on key hits by Withers, Wormington, Plummer, Dryfoos and big RBI from McCambridge and Callie DeVylder. Withers started a double play at shortstop.
Also playing strong defense in the region tourney were Kennedy at first, Margaret Hood at third and Evelyn Latona at second and outfielders, Deufel, Plummer and Cunningham.
McLean did not make an error in its final three region-tourney games.
McLean finished 13-2 overall in three all-star tournaments.
None of the 12 all-star players will be returning for McLean next summer, as 11 move on because of age and one will move from the area.
NOTES: The four runs McLean scored against North Carolina were the most the team allowed in the region tourney, as well as in the following World Series, where the squad was eliminated in the semifinals . . . Loving has managed or coached McLean all-star softball teams to multiple state championships, a region title and a World Series appearance.
