Mill Creek LL softball blanks Montana 10-0

By Aaron Coe

For the Herald

SAN BERNADINO, Calif. — Simone Williams pitched a 2-hit shutout to lead the Mill Creek Little League All-Stars to a 10-0 victory over Montana in a West Regional Tournament game at Al Houghton Stadium on Monday.

Mill Creek improved to 2-0 in the tournament and 10-0 overall while earning the No. 1 overall seed heading into the single-elimination portion of the tournament. Mill Creek will play the winner of Tuesday’s matchup between the Nos. 8 and 9 seeds at 7:30 Wednesday. The winner of the tournament qualifies for the Little League World Series.

“It was a great effort,” said Mill Creek manager Daryl Stevens, whose team won in 4 innings due to the 10-run rule. “Simone pitched great and the girls played awesome defense.”

Mill Creek scored twice in the first inning, then broke it open with four more in the third. Defense also proved to be key. Mill Creek turned a double play and committed only one error.

Lauren Whitley, Alexis Sicairos, Deirdre Delgado and Kalia Zellmer each singled twice for Mill Creek. Zellmer and Annie Coe drove in three runs apiece.

Mill Creek earned the top seed for the second-straight season, and hope to avoid last year’s first-round loss in elimination play.

“We’re just going to have fun, Stevens said. “That’s what they’re here for.”