A Santa Barbara girls softball travel team won the 16-Under title at the National Softball Association Pacific Coast Western World Series in Palmdale.
The Bownet Matsumoto 16U Softball Team rebounded from a first-game loss with five straight wins en route to winning the championship. The team defeated SoCal Bash of Santa Clarita in the title game, 14-4.
The Santa Barbara-based team consisted of athletes from five high schools in the county. The team, coached by MeLinda Matsumoto and Al Cerda of Bishop Diego, qualified for the NSA-PCW World Series by winning games in the California State Championship.
“There hasn’t been enough interest in a summer travel softball team in Santa Barbara for almost a decade,” said Matsumoto, the head coach at Bishop. “It is awesome to get these local girls playing this summer. It has been great not only to compete but to win with a Santa Barbara team playing games and tournaments in L.A. County.
“These girls have grown so much on the field but, more importantly than that, they’ve grown as human beings off the field, which is really what it’s all about.”
The team members include: Kayla Aguilar (San Marcos), Natalie Aguilar (Lompoc), Kaitlyn Ashby (Dos Pueblos), Rylee Cathcart (Dos Pueblos), Sarah Fellers (Bishop Diego), Madeline Ferries (Bishop Diego), Anna Fittipaldi (Bishop Diego), Anna Gray (Dos Pueblos), Tara Gregson (Bishop Diego), Taylor Hayes (Dos Pueblos), Amanda Holguin (Santa Barbara), Tessa Johansen (Bishop Diego), Katelyn Lisi (Dos Pueblos), Alina Magdaleno (Santa Barbara), Solas McGettigan (Dos Pueblos), Lysandra Pimentel (Lompoc) and Lily Simolon (Bishop Diego).
Bownet Matsumoto lost their first pool-play game to CA Velocity out of the Templeton area. The team then reeled off five straight wins, including a victory over CA Velocity in a winner’s bracket game.
In the final, Bownet Matsumoto opened the scoring in the first inning on a double by Kayla Aguilar. The team erupted for eight runs in the third, with Ashby, Pimentel, Kayla Aguilar, Simolon, Natalie Aguilar and Gregson driving in runs.
The game ended on the tournament’s 10-run mercy rule, as Johanson hit a RBI single for a 14-4 lead in the fourth.
Ashby started on the mound in all six games, pitching 23 innings total. She allowed 38 hits and 16 earned runs, struck out 15 and walked five.
In the championship, Ashby allowed two runs on six hits, striking out two and walking none in 3.1 innings.
Ferries also contributed in the circle. She pitched in five games. allowing 13 hits and eight earned runs.
At the plate, Simolon belted two home runs and Natalie Aguilar hit one. Kayla and Natalie Aguilar each hit over .500 for the tournament
The team’s defense was highlighted by key plays from outfielders Simolon, Fittipaldi, Lisi and Hayes. Hayes threw out a runner at home from left field in the semifinal game to stop a late-inning rally by the OC Knights.
The Bownet-Matsumoto team is part of the Bownet Sports Academy, which draws athletes from throughout Santa Barbara County. Tryouts for the a fall-season team are scheduled for Aug. 21.
For information, contact coach Matsumoto at coachmelinda15@gmail.com.