The GVGSA Goleta 12U Thunder captured the Conquer the Coast Tournament Gold Division championship last weekend in Santa Maria.
The Thunder went 6-0 over the weekend to finish atop the 15-team gold division. The weekend ended in dramatic fashion, as Goleta came from behind for a 5-4 quarterfinal win and pulled out a 3-1 victory in the title game.
“The team competed on each and every pitch as we played without a sub most of the weekend,” Goleta manager Nick Henderson said. “The girls played a lot of competitive softball this weekend in the sun and wind, and they brought their smiles and played with joy throughout the weekend.”
Offensively, the Thunder racked up 48 hits and the team hit close to .400 combined to help power the team to the championship. Meanwhile, the Goleta pitchers recorded a 1.07 team ERA across the six games.
“The team’s aggressive baserunning put so much pressure on our opponents, and we took the extra 60 feet whenever we could,” Henderson said. “We had a runner score from first on a bunt for the game-winning run in the quarterfinals, a smart and aggressive play that we will remember for a long time.
“We faced good pitching and consistently put up runs, especially the second time through our batting order. Our defense played great, with five double plays over the weekend.”
The summer all-star softball season is off to a hot start for the Thunder, who have won three tournaments and have a combined record of 19-2.
The Goleta 12U Thunder roster includes Adalina Baltadano, Alanna Millinghaus, Farrah Weiss, Kaliyah Sutherland, Kayla Hollowell, Lillian Onishi, Maclean Fergus, Maddie Anderson, Marissah Corral, Myla Perez and Peyton Henderson.
The team is managed by Nick Henderson with coaches Devonte Millinghaus, Julie Weiss, Justin Anderson and Jason Sutherland.