A World (Series) of Experience Helps Pawcatuck

Eleven girls from the Pawcatuck Little League softball All-Stars will join about 120 other 13- to 16-year-old teens from around the globe in the Senior Little League World Series at Lower Sussex, Del. starting today.

Teams will recieve VIP treatment from a doting community that dedicates its late summer to hosting this 10-team event. They will stay in fine motels and eat for free. The two finalists have the privilege of playing on worldwide television on ESPN-U.

Sounds like a vacation? Well, Pawcatuck manager Joel Borden is determined to keep the team focused on softball and prevent them from getting caught up in the adulation of being there.

For Borden, being there before can only help Pawcatuck. He coached the 2007 Pawcatuck Senior All-Stars to their first World Series, where the locals finished fifth with a 3-2 record.

"I think having been there helps in terms of preparing the girls for the week," Borden said. "We're there to play softball for a week. There is an off day, but it's important to ensure the girls have plenty of rest in what should be a very hot stretch of weather down there."

One point Borden will be sure to make: Don't underestimate the host team. Just because the Delaware District 3 champ gets an automatic bid to the 10-team field doesn't mean they don't belong there.

Pawcatuck opened pool play against Laurel, Del., in 2007 and lost, 9-2. The same teams open 5:30 p.m. today. Pawcatuck continues Series play 8 p.m. Monday against Italy, has an off day Tuesday, meets Manaubo, Puerto Rico 8 p.m. Wednesday and concludes pool play 5:30 Thursday against El Campo, Tex. The top two teams in Pool A and Pool B meet in the semifinals Friday and the final is 2 p.m. Saturday on ESPN-U.

Borden's 2007 team was a veteran unit laden with players just under the age limit. Pitchers Aubrey Latham (Fitch) and Elysa Parrilla (Stonington) were established high school standouts as were third baseman Arielle Cooper (Fitch), second baseman Brittany Walter (Wheeler) and outfielder Haley Rolfe (Stonington). First baseman Emily Borden (Grasso Tech) was her tech school conference player of the year.

Pawcatuck rebounded from that opening loss to blank Windsor, Canada, 11-0, on a combined perfect game from Latham and Parrilla. A 1-0 loss to South Bend, Ind., which eventually lost to San Antonio in the final, followed in a crucial game ending Pawcatuck's title hopes. Pawcatuck beat Manaubo, 3-0, to finish pool play before winning the fifth place game, 4-3.

"We're a younger team this year with no players who were juniors last spring," Borden said. "Everyone is eligible to come back. We are young and none of this group has been under pressure like this, but you wouldn't know it by how we've played."

Pawcatuck's current squad sandwiched a string of blowouts in state tournament and early East Regional play in between tough tests in the District 10 tourney series victory over Waterford and two stirring regional wins over Pennsylvania in the semis and New Jersey, 3-2, in the finals.

Andrea Chiaradio (Stonington), who pitched a perfect game in the East Regional opener, and Summer Cipriani (Wheeler) will handle pitching duties. Catcher Katie Headley (Stonington), Gabi Hoops, entering SHS this year, Kayla Collins (Wheeler), Ally Curioso (Stonington) and Julie Wanstall (Wheeler) anchor the infield.

Pawcatuck outscored four teams in the states, 78-1, and opened East Region play with 10-0, 16-0, 13-0 and 9-1 wins. Obviously this team has talent. Now it gets to test its wares against the world.