Pawcatuck Softball World Series Bound

The Pawcatuck Senior Little League Softball All-Stars are ready to take on the World.

After a series of blowout wins in the last two weeks of tournament play, Pawcatuck coaches Joel Borden and Bob Headley wondered how their team would react under pressure Thursday against superb competition in the Eastern Regional championship round.

Pawcatuck trailed Pennsylvania in the semifinals, 1-0, and rallied to win 6-2. Pawcatuck trailed New Jersey, 2-0, early in the finals and came back to win, 3-2.

Whether by 14-0 blowout or riviting comeback, all Pawcatuck does, in the lyrics of the DJ Khaled song, is win, win win. Pawcatuck will now board a bus Saturday from the North Anguilla Road Little League complex en route to Delaware for the Senior Little League World Series starting Sunday. It's Pawcatuck's second trip ever to the World Series after finishing fifth in 2007.

Pawcatuck opens 5:30 Sunday against host Laurel, Del. in Pool A: Pawcatuck (East), Laurel, Maunabo, P.R. (Latin America), Emeilia, Italy (Europe-Middle East) and El Campo, Tex. (Southwest). Pool B includes: Winston, Can., Butte, Mont. (West), Cape Coral, Fla. (Southeast), Manila, Philippines (Asia) and South Bend, Ind. (Central).

"Today was a whirlwind," Borden said. "We've blown every team out and then we have these two tough games. But the girls showed they are true champions."

Pawcatuck entered the semifinals as the East Region's only 4-0 team, winning by a combined score of 48-1. That's coming off a 77-1 score differential in the State Tournament. Blowouts figured to end sooner or later, but the victories continued.

The locals received a break, Borden said, when Pennsylvania removed its top pitcher in the fourth inning of a 1-0 lead. Teams can use a pitcher two games straight if they limit her innings to under 10 total.

"We were surprised they took her out," Borden said. "Maybe they figured one run would beat us."

Pawcatuck erupted for four runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to take the lead. Julie Wanstall broke a Eastern Regional-long slump with  two hits and Jackie Paride added two hits. Andrea Chiaradio was the winning pitcher and Paride finished up in relief in the seventh.

Pawcatuck again fell behind 2-0 in the final against a "cocky" New Jersey team, Borden said.

"They were quick, good and talked a lot of trash," Borden said. "They Jersey girls to be sure. But the kids expected so much and we didn't respond with our mouths. Once New Jersey found out we could play, they quieted down a bit."

Pawcatuck tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth when Ally Curioso and Katie Headley singled and Summer Cipriani reached on an error to score a run. Gabi Hoops' sacrifice fly tied it.

Pawcatuck defense kept the score tied. Hoops, at first base, caught a liner and turned it into an unassisted doubleplay to end a threat. Chiaradio, playing center field, threw out a runner at the plate on a nice tag by Headley.

With Cipriani pitching in relief, Pawcatuck held a 2-2 tie into the top of the seventh. Wanstall tripled and scored on Paride's single. New Jersey put two runners on in the bottom of the inning, but Curioso, the shortstop, make a diving catch to prevent to end the game.

"It might have tied the score or at least loaded the bases," Headley said. "Just a phenomenal play to win the tournament."

Little League pays for expenses and accommodations to the World Series, so Pawcatuck can enjoy a day off Friday before its trip to Lower Sussex, Del. After the opener, Pawcatuck plays Italy Monday, has a day off Tuesday, meets Maunabo Wednesday and El Campo Thursday. The final is will be televised on ESPN-U.