Northwest Little League from San Antonio, Texas, Wins Senior Softball World Series

Editor’s note: Complete scores from all the games can be found here at http://www.littleleague.org/series/2007divisions/slsb/series.htm

---

ROXANA, Del. - With ESPN cameras focused on their World Series play, the Southwest Region champions from Northwest Little League in San Antonio, Texas, shut out the Central Region Champions from District 11 in South Bend, Ind., 8-0, to win the 2007 Senior Softball World Series at the Lower Sussex Little League Complex.

Northwest Little League scored three runs in the fourth and fifth innings, adding two more runs on three hits in the fifth inning. Blanca Idar hurled a four-hitter to get the win. In the fourth inning, the Southwest champions scored three runs on doubles by Casey Santos, Jaqueline Gonzalez and Amanda Delgado.

“Without a doubt our hitting won us this game,” Southwest Manager Joe Leal said. “Our defense was strong and we finally brought out our strengths in this game.

“We did what we came here to do,” Leal said. “Both girls did well pitching. We’ve been using Blanca to close out games throughout most of the tournament, and she deserved to start and pitch a full game. She did tremendous a tremendous job.”

“It’s awesome! It’s indescribable,” Ms. Idar said. “I was kind of nervous on the mound because of ESPN, but by the fourth or fifth inning, I got use to it. I got into my groove and did my best.”

The Southwest team added three more runs in the fifth inning. With one out, Marie Mousseau-Rioux started the rally with a base hit. Selina La Manna bunted into a series of errors allowing Mousseau-Rioux to reach third, while she moved to second. That set the stage for Casey Santos to score both with a two-run single. Santos crossed the plate on a single by Ashley Perez.

“They hit the ball well,” Andy Bozman, manager of the Central Region champions, said. “I have to give the Southwest team credit. Defensively, I think we did OK. They just hit the ball extremely well. I can’t take that away from them.”

Both teams entered the game with perfect pool play records. The Southwest had posted four wins, while the Central Region winners had three wins to their credit.