Alameda Blaze 12U Softball Heads to Nationals

For the second consecutive summer, the Alameda Blaze 12U girls softball team will be representing Alameda at the softball national championships for the western United States. Hundreds of teams in the western U.S. play summer tournament softball, but each year only about 40 teams qualify to compete in the multi-day national championships, which will be held this year in Salem, OR beginning July 31.

The Blaze qualified for Nationals by going undefeated to win the Billie-Sue Memorial Tournament last month in Burlingame/Millbrae. This year’s 12U Blaze team is 9-1 over their last 10 games and has only lost to one team so far this summer. The Blaze will be playing in some tough regional tournaments in northern California over the next three weekends before hitting the road for Nationals in Oregon at the end of the month.

When last year’s 12U Blaze team made it to Nationals, it was only the second time in Alameda’s history that a local girls softball team had qualified to play on the national stage. Last year’s team went on an amazing run and managed to take ninth place in the western US. Patch covered that story last summer:

In addition to the City of Alameda Recreation and Parks Department, which provides its fields for play, the is supported by team sponsors, coaches and volunteers who hold fundraisers to keep it operating.

The 2012 12U Blaze are Alexis Esparza, Beatrice Levy, Cassie Lumpkin, Sarah Mahler, Savannah Mesterhazy, Mira Piamonte, Bella Sheel, Ruby Siltanen, Jemma Thorpe, Bella Vick, Christine Warren, Lily Wilmot and Mikayla Wong.

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