A dream season for the Almaden Lightning came to a disappointing end in the Little League Softball World Series on Tuesday.
Almaden lost, 4-0, to a team from Ohio to end their tournament. In their first game on Sunday, they lost, 11-0, to the defending champions from Texas.
The Lightning combined for just two hits in the two games while facing some difficult pitchers at the beautiful Stallings Stadium in Greenville, N.C.
“We had one of the toughest schedules,” head coach John Drake said by phone on Tuesday. “But that’s how it works. It was so great for us to be there. It was really an amazing time. I’m so proud of them.”
They had a tough draw with their first game coming against a Texas team that won the tournament last year and had previously won 11 of 13 titles from 1992 to 2004.
Against Ohio, they ran into a buzzsaw in Mila Hamley, who threw a complete game shutout with 12 strikeouts.
“I think when the game was over, there were a lot of teary eyes,” Drake said. “They took it hard but they have nothing to be ashamed of. We’re all so proud of them. We knew we were either going to win the whole thing or end up losing. I’ve been trying to prepare them. We had a great run, just enjoy the moment, win or lose. You’re making history and making memories.”
Almaden had previously made a miracle run from the lower bracket in the West regionals two weeks ago, winning four straight do-or-die games and defeating a team from Southern California to capture the regional title.
The Lightning became one of just eight teams in the United States to compete in the Little League World Series along with four international teams.
Drake, a special education teacher at Herman Intermediate School in San Jose, said it was an unforgettable experience for the three coaches and 12 players.
“It was amazing, the way they treated them like mini superstars,” he said.
The girls arrived last week and were treated to a couple days of ceremonies and activities, including one in which they were able to design their own cleats, and another in which Rawlings presented all of them with new uniforms, helmets, bats, gloves and accessories that they’ll be able to keep.
“They really hooked them up,” Drake said.
His daughter, Jayda, is the team’s shortstop and a relief pitcher. She made a sensational diving catch during the Lightning’s second game, when she charged in from the pitcher’s circle to make a sprawling grab in foul territory. A video of the play was highlighted on ESPN.
“I was trying to tell them, be great, do something great and don’t be afraid to give 100%, go all out and just be vulnerable,” John Drake said. “When she went for that ball, I thought maybe she’d catch it, but then I’m like, ‘oh no, that’s going to drop.’ It was in her head, she heard me saying, ‘be great.’ She just laid out for that thing. That’s something she’s going to remember and have for the rest of her life.”
Drake said the Almaden parents put in a lot of effort to keep a core group of the girls together. More than half the team has played together since the girls were 6 years old.
They really flourished this season, with breakouts from key players like Aanya Kapoor and Aspen Hannigan, as well as standout pitching from Jayda Drake and Maya Parada.
“We won’t have the Little League run anymore, but hopefully we can keep them together and have more fun next year,” Drake said.
