Bend North Little League softball advances past Idaho
Published 12:45 pm Monday, July 24, 2023
- Bend North Little League softball celebrated its 10-0 win Sunday over Lewiston Little League in the Northwest Regional in San Bernardino, California. The team lost its first tournament game Wednesday.
The Bend North Little League softball team earned a well-deserved trip to Disneyland on Monday after winning its second game of the Northwest Regional in San Bernardino, Calif.
Sunday afternoon, Bend North took down Lewiston Little League of Lewiston, Idaho 10-0 to claim its second win in as many days and inch one step closer to a berth in softball’s Little League World Series in Greenville, North Carolina.
“Every girl has been contributing for sure,” said Bend North coach Kevin Guiney. “Getting out to an early lead in both games helped and our pitching has been phenomenal. The biggest thing for the team has been the team bonding. It has been amazing. They’re picking each other up when someone gets down. They all have each other’s back.”
After striking out 13 batters in the opening game of the tournament against Alaska, pitcher Janelle Guiney threw a no-hitter while striking out 10 to help Bend North advance in the double-elimination tournament with teams from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming.
The 10, 11 and 12-year-olds from Bend have yet to be phased by playing on a much larger stage — in a 8,000-seat stadium and on ESPN+ — than they typically do.
“The first game they had the nerves. I don’t think many of them got a lot of sleep the night before,” Kevin Guiney said. “But they were so loose before the second game in the dugout. Never would have thought they would have played on that stage. Felt like another game at Stover Park.”
Bend North will play Boulder Arrowhead Little League (which had a thrilling comeback win against Washington to advance) of Billings, Mont. on Wednesday at 4 p.m. for a spot in the regional championship. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+