Havre de Grace Little League junior softball All-Stars reach region semifinal

Randy McRoberts, The Aegis, Bel Air, Md.
·3 min read

Jul. 26—The Havre de Grace Little League junior softball All-Stars made a little history Monday in Orange, Conn.

The team knocked off a team from Marblehead, Massachusetts, 5-1, in an East Region tournament quarterfinal, advancing Havre de Grace onto a Tuesday semifinal, a first for any Havre de Grace Little League softball all-star team.

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Havre de Grace was scheduled to play Milford, Connecticut, the tourney host in the semifinal. A best-of-three championship series, also scheduled to begin Tuesday, awaits the semifinal winner.

"I'm just so happy for these kids and so happy for how they played. No Havre de Grace softball team has ever gone this far. They keep hanging tough and hanging tough," team manager Ted Hendricks said. "Lilly Dalton has been amazing. She has gotten stronger and stronger every game and she is just pitching so well."

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Dalton was sharp in Monday's win, shutting the Marblehead hitters down on three hits and a single run over seven innings. Dalton struck out 10.

The offense produced a single run in the first inning and then two each in the fifth and sixth innings.

Bayleigh Carstetter (2-for-3) led the way with two triples and three RBIs. Lyric Strong was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, while Dalton aided her own cause with a 2-for-4 showing.

Brielle Croxsell, Rylee Grode and Nevaeh Cuffley added a hit apiece.

"This is a special group of kids. It's a special group of kids because it's a special group of parents and they have been with us from the start," Hendricks said. "Our fans outnumber the opposition 10-1. Before we even came to this tournament, the support was incredible."

Pool play

Havre de Grace went 2-2 in the Mid-Atlantic bracket, posting wins over New Jersey and Delaware, but losing to teams from New York and Pennsylvania.

Maryland 6, Delaware 1

Pool play ended Sunday with Havre de Grace beating the MOT Little League.

Dalton was again dominant in the circle, allowing four hits and a run over seven innings, while fanning 11.

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Sarah Weitzel led a 12-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Strong (2B) and Dayley Veres (2B, RBI) both went 2-for-4.

Carstetter, Dalton (2B, RBI), Croxsell, Cuffley and Mariana Villafane added a hit each.

Pennsylvania 2, Maryland 1

Havre de Grace was edged on Saturday by the West Suburban Little League after stranding too many runners on base. Pennsylvania scored single runs in the first and second innings.

Havre de Grace had bases loaded in the fourth with no runs and again in the sixth, after scoring its lone run.

Strong, Croxsell and Grode had hits with Croxsell collecting the RBI.

Dalton pitched all seven innings, giving up two runs on six hits and three walks. Dalton struck out nine.

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Maryland 5, New Jersey 3

Havre de Grace's first win came Friday over Elmora Little League.

Dalton (2-for-4) hit a pair of doubles, driving in three runs, while Veres, Strong, Croxsell and Weitzel added a hit apiece.

Dalton earned the win, allowing six hits, five walks and three runs over seven innings. She struck out seven.

New York 6, Maryland 2

Havre de Grace opened play Thursday with the loss to Oceanside Little League.

Dalton and Strong both saw action in the circle. Dalton made the start and worked 3.1 innings. Dalton gave up three hits, three walks and three runs (one earned). She also hit two batters and struck out eight.

Strong pitched 2.2 innings, allowing two hits, two walks and three runs (one earned), while striking out one.

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Dalton (3-for-4) led the offense with a double and RBI, while Strong added a double and RBI.

Carstetter (3B), Veres and Weitzel also had hits.