MISSOULA, MT (MPG) – Fresh off claiming the Northern California Senior League Championship, the Colusa Area Little League Softball All-Stars made their way to the Western Regional Tournament in Montana where the winner earns a spot in the Softball Little League World Series.
Starting its journey at Hidden Lakes Park in Martinez on July 13 and 14, Colusa blew past the competition, shutting out Gilroy 15-0 before trouncing Turlock twice by scores of 12-0 and 14-0 respectively.
Abril Guzman, Elli Santana and Braelyn Santana helped power the offense, while Ava Garcia was dominant in the circle.
Four days later, the team opened pool play at the Dale Clawson Complex in Missoula with a 13-9 win over Nevada.
However, things didn’t go Colusa’s way the following day when it suffered its first loss, falling 3-18 to the host Missoula team.
Yet, the scrappy group that has been playing together since 2019 was undeterred, bouncing back later that afternoon to beat Colorado 11-6.
Bella Romero launched a home run and Peyton Miller tripled, while in the circle Braelyn Santana fanned nine batters.
In its final pool play game on July 20, Colusa ran into a powerful Hawaii squad that prevailed 17-1.
With 2-2 record entering bracket play, Colusa once again rebounded, posting a 22-7 blowout win over Oregon on Sunday, July 21.
Pounding out 17 hits, Colusa was led at the plate by Miller, who smashed a two-run home run as part of a 3 for 4, four-RBI day, along with Cece Mitchum, who also drove in four runs.
Playing a second game Sunday evening, Colusa punched its ticket to the semifinals with a 6-5 win over a second Montana team, as they survived a seventh inning rally that was brought to an end when Braelyn Santana struck out the game’s final batter with the tying run in scoring position.
Colusa looked to avenge an earlier loss to the host Montana team in a game on Tuesday morning with the winner advancing to the championship later in the evening.