William Mansfield threw 11 strikeouts in a 1-hit shutout and went 3/4 with two singles and a titanic 3-run HR to lead the MI 11-12 All-stars to an easy 4-inning, 22-0 first round win over Bellevue East.  Josh Stenberg, Aidan Plummer, Max Hibbert and David Emanuels all had two hits apiece, and every MI player scored at least once (Emanuels scored 4 runs; Stenberg reached in all 5 plate appearances and scored 3 times).

More 12U photos, courtesy David Ogard. 

The MI 11-12s next play Sammamish American on Sunday at 9am at Hidden Valley park in Bellevue.

There are two MILL players, Katie Hendrickson and Caroline Hamilton, on the combined Bell East/Bell Thunderbird/MI 10-11 softball team.  Last night this 10-11 softball team beat Snoqualmie Valley 13-6.  The bats came alive and the team jumped out to a first inning 5-0 lead.  Bell East pitcher Sophie Sliger pitched a gritty complete game.  Bell East shortstop Nikita Hesketh played a brilliant game overall.  The game would have ended early under the 10 run rule but for a few fifth inning defensive lapses that allowed Sno Valley to score some late runs. 

District Nine’s website lists MI’s own Katie Hendrickson as the game’s offensive highlight.  Katie led the hit parade going 2/3 and playing a very heady hot corner.  Early in the game, the defensive tone was set when Katie recorded an unassisted double play by catching a line drive and quickly tagging the runner at third to end the inning (she then threw to second for the attempted triple play).  Caroline Hamilton went 1/3 with some more stolen bases.  Late in the game, Caroline froze a Sno Valley hitter rounding second and heading for third attempting a triple when Caroline quickly threw the ball from the centerfield warning track to the shortstop (the Sno Valley hitter had the best hit of the game when she absolutely tagged the ball into the gap in left field).  Both Katie and Caroline made solid contact and worked the Sno Valley outfielders. 

The next game for these ladies is 9:00 Saturday morning.  The team will play the winner of tonight’s game between Eastlake/Issaquah and Sno. Valley North.  The head coach for the Bell East/BT/MI team is Sammamish High School varsity softball head coach Jessica Cabales.  A lot of credit has to go to coach Jessica.

After scoring 2 then working out of a bases loaded jam in the first, the TB/MI bats erupted.  TB/MI pitchers combined for a no-hitter while the bats amassed 18 hits (6 for extra bases). Kaitlin Sahlinger went 4/5. Kat Wood 4/4. Claire McCarthy 2/4, Julia Blumenstein 1/2, Sarah Yamaura 2/2.

Link to Tournament Bracket.

Mercer Island Little League is hosting a combined team with players joining from Bellevue Thunderbird and Bellevue East Little Leagues.  Five MI girls, Janie Akiyoshi, Abby Elggren, Amanda Mayo, Madi Mitchell, and Makenna Pellerin, anchor this combined All Star Team at the Juniors Level (13 & 14 year olds).  The District 9 Tournament is being played at Everest Park in Kirkland, running July 12th through the 18th.  Mercer Island is one of four District 9 teams playing for a birth into the Junior World Series Tournament hosted by our district.

This is the 10th year District 9 is hosting the Junior League Softball World Series, also played at Everest Park in Kirkland, August 10th - 16th.  For the 2nd year in a row, ESPN will televise the Championship Game.  U.S. teams come from the East, Southwest, South, Central, and West Regions, along with the champions from Canada, Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.  Little League includes a team from the host, District 9, to increase local interest.

For the first time since switching back to Little League four years ago, Mercer Island is participating in this Juniors Division of Fastpitch Softball, demonstrating growth and excitement in a young, but building program.  Mercer Island has its own 9 - 10 Softball team, currently playing in the District Tournament, as well as two 11 year old girls on the Bellevue East 10/11 Team, and two 12 year olds playing on the Bellevue Thunderbird Little League (Majors) All Star Team.