PORTLAND, Ore. — The South Snohomish team couldn’t have imagined the ups and downs it would face at the Little League Softball World Series.
Being accused of intentionally losing a game and becoming a national news story wasn’t what the girls representing the West Region had in mind when they arrived in Portland last week.
Despite all that, the players continued to play softball and, in their final game of the tournament, got something they really wanted.
A victory.
The West team scored four runs — all with two outs — in the top of the third inning to defeat the AVRS School Little League from Uganda 4-1 Wednesday in the fifth-place game. South Snohomish finished the tournament with a 4-2 record.
“I’m just super proud of my team,” South Snohomish head coach Fred Miller said. “My girls played through adversity down here and they fought to the end.”
Brooke Jordan went 3-for-4 with an RBI single to lead South Snohomish. Winning pitcher Makayla Miller continued to be a force on the mound, striking out seven.
The victory brought a positive end to a difficult three days for the South Snohomish players and coaches.
The team was accused of intentionally losing after being no-hit in an 8-0 loss to North Carolina on Monday. That defeat appeared to eliminate Iowa (3-1) from the semifinals, while fellow Pool B members North Carolina (3-1) and Washington (3-1) advanced based on the tiebreaker — the number of runs allowed during the tournament.
But the Iowa team cried foul, and after an investigation, Little League International ruled Washington did not try to win the game, denied South Snohomish its semifinal berth and ordered a one-game play-in against Iowa on Tuesday.
Washington lost that contest, 3-2.
“It’s been a grind,” Fred Miller said. “Parents and fans leaving notes on our doors, on the girls’ doors, banging on our girls’ doors in the middle of the night trying to wake us up. Speaking under their breath when the kids walk by — it’s been tough.”
Miller said the situation snowballed after the West team became a national news story. South Snohomish players and coaches left for home right after Wednesday’s game instead of staying for the closing ceremonies.
In fact, there was discussion of the West team skipping its final game against Uganda, but the players voted unanimously to play.
“It’s always good to get a win in the final game,” Miller said. “Obviously, it wasn’t the game we were wanting to play today, but that’s just the way it goes. I think, with all the events that have happened, we were really flat. We’re exhausted. We’re all tired. But we’re really proud of the girls. They did a great job.”
Makayla Miller was happy to get the win, but couldn’t help but wonder what might have been.
“I wish it would have ended a little bit better. Fifth is great, but …,” she said, her voice trailing off.
Several South Snohomish parents and fans cheered the West team Wednesday morning. Mike Strong, whose daughter Emily plays center field for South Snohomish, said he was proud of all the team accomplished this season.
“It was a great time and the girls did great,” he said. “We had a great opportunity to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime event down here, which we’re grateful as parents to support and be a part of. We have a great group of girls, a great group of coaches. We had a blast.”
Controversy aside, the players enjoyed facing the top teams in the world, including the first squad from Uganda to reach the Little League Softball World Series.
“Being at the World Series, that’s cool,” Makayla Miller said. “Playing all the other teams, like Africa, they’ve never been here before, that’s super cool.”
For Fred Miller, the most memorable moment of the tournament came in South Snohomish’s 4-3 victory over Iowa on Sunday night. The last game of the day saw the West team rally in the final inning to finish on top.
“I don’t think we’ll ever forget the (Iowa) win …,” Miller said. “The stands were the most electric I’ve ever seen. It was amazing. (Iowa) scored a run in the top of the sixth and for us to come back, and get the winning run in the bottom of the sixth, was pretty impressive.
“That was definitely the biggest game we had and the highest moment for us.”
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