The Goleta Thunder 12-Under All-Star team defeated WVGS 12U 8-6 in the championship game to come out on top of the Encino Sherman Oaks Summer Slam on Sunday.
The final game of the weekend went into extra innings after a back-and-forth matchup, with Goleta’s Piper Kittle driving in the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run with an RBI double in the top of the seventh inning.
Along with Kittle’s clutch hit, Zella Cassidy (3-for-3, two RBIs, two runs) and Laila Hernandez (2-for-4, one RBI, one run) led the offense in the championship matchup.
Cassidy and Hernandez were the offensive catalysts all weekend, combining for seven hits and 10 RBIs in the four games.
On the mound, Vereniki Maniadis started the game and Lucy Dessert came in for relief in the final five innings.
In pool play earlier in the tournament, the arms of Maniadis and Dessert combined for a no-hitter.
Goleta has now played in eight tournaments this summer, playing in seven championship games and winning three of them.
Team members include Autumn Johnson, Piper Kittle, Scarlett Holian, Laila Hernandez, Elise Dreesmann, Chaya Blaney, Julie Brunner, Zella Cassidy, Abby Simonsen, Vereniki Maniadis and Lucy Dessert. The coaches are Beau Brunner, Vince Holian, Jon Dessert and Julie Kittle.