SAN BERNARDINO — Paul Vogler’s eyes were puffy, red and full of tears on Friday night.
Manager of the Westchester-Dey Rey Little League softball team, Vogler could not contain his emotions after the Southern California champions scored 11 runs in the fifth inning to claim the West Region title with a 12-2 competition rule-shortened victory over Tucson, Ariz.’s Thorndale LL at Al Houghton Stadium.
“It’s an almost indescribable feeling,” Vogler said. “This has been a lot to take on but it’s one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. And we keep going.”
Westchester-Del Rey now travels to Greenville, N.C. for the Little League World Series, scheduled for Aug. 3-10.
“This just proves to me that all the hard work we’ve put in matters,” Vogler said. “This group is tough. After we lost in the opener (8-2 to Arizona) we knew we were going to have to fight to get to the top and we did it.”
Gabriela Uribe got her first start of the tournament for Southern California and pitched three shutout innings to set an early tone.
“(Gabby) came in and really put in a performance,” Vogler said. “She kept her composure and really led this team.”
Uribe drove in Carol Ho to take a 1-0 lead in the third, and Vogler handed the ball to Kaylee Braunlich to start the fourth.Hit by pitches in her first two at-bats and tagged by a line drive while playing third base to start the game, Braunlich got two quick outs and allowed a walk before she was struck in the hip by a shot back up the middle.
“(Braunlich) was a little upset after taking it off her side,” Vogler said. “She was feeling a little like a target.”
Braunlich left the game and was replaced by Audrey Vogler, who allowed Arizona to score two runs and take the lead but produced a strikeout to end the fourth.
“We have three strong pitchers, and Audrey came in and did a job for us,” Vogler said. “She got us out of that inning and we were able to turn things around.”
Trailing 2-1 to begin the fifth, SoCal’s Addie Bolton and Ho reached on back-to-back errors and Kinsley Spencer walked to load the bases.
Uribe followed with a base hit up the middle, Abigail Reyes had an RBI double and Sofia Maximiliano added an RBI triple as the next nine Westchester-Del Rey batters reached base safely.
“I’ve never had a group of girls that could hit like this team can from top to bottom,” Vogler said.Called out trying to score on a base hit by Mila McKay, Uribe was the only player in SoCal’s lineup to not cross home plate in the inning.
“I knew our bats were going to get hot,” Uribe said. “That was a great feeling.”With a 10-run lead, Uribe returned to the circle and got a quick lineout to shortstop for the first out, handled a comebacker for the second out and got a called third strike on a full count to end the game.
“It’s amazing to know we’re going to the World Series,” Uribe said.After the loss to Arizona at the beginning of the tournament, SoCal beat Utah, Hawaii and Northern California to earn a rematch.
“I told these girls that they were going to have to dig deep,” Vogler said. “I’m so beyond proud.”It’s the second West Region title in six tournament appearances for Westchester-Del Rey, which previously won the first year it was held in San Bernardino in 2011.
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