Michigan District 9 Powers to Fourth Big League Softball World Series Title in Eight Years

By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
August 11, 2010

Liz Hamming hit a two-run, walk-off home run over the left-center field fence, her second homer of the night for Michigan District 9 from Grand Rapids. The Central Region Champions won their fourth Big League Softball World Series Championship in eight years, 14-4 in six innings over City of Manila (Philippines) Little League Wednesday night at Vanderberg Park in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Hamming homered to get the Michigan District 9 offense going with a solo shot in the first inning.

Kelsey Bandstra followed up by banking a two-run home run off the top of the right-center field fence and then came through with a two-run single for Michigan District 9, which built an 8-0 league through two innings.

Alexa Gehrls threw a three-hitter with six strikeouts to post the mound win for Michigan District 9. The 2010 World Champions finished the nine-team round-robin tournament with an 8-1 record.

The team from Grand Rapids tallied 13 hits off of City of Manila Little League's starting pitcher Julie Muyco and reliever Veronica Belleza. Belleza did record eight strikeouts in three-plus innings of work.

Supporting Michigan District 9’s offense were Kayla Farrell with a run-scoring single, Kellen Dewey, who doubled in a run, and Emily Holt with two squeeze bunts.

The Caribbean Region champions, 6-3 in the World Series, extended the game with four runs with two outs in the fifth inning.

Michigan District 9 won the Big League Softball World Series championship in 2002, 2004 and 2008. The 2010 World Series was the 30^th anniversary of the tournament.