The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Metro girls win, win and win

Sunnyvale wins 10 before losing at Western Regionals

By Dick Sparrer

Two California teams traveled all the way to Washington to hook up for a girls' softball game--and it was a long journey, in more ways than one.

The Sunnyvale Metro Little League major division all-stars met up with the Foothill Little League 'stars from Glendale in Southern California in Vancouver, Wash.

It was a long trip for the Sunnyvale girls, and also the culmination of a long road to Western Regional championships.

The Metro all-stars had won the District 44, Section 5 and Division 2 championships to earn the spot in the Western Regionals. Sunnyvale's season ended with the 8-1 loss to Glendale, but what a season it was.

Metro won nine straight games to win the three titles it needed to earn a Western Regional berth.

The local 'stars opened play in Washington with a victory, but the string of wins ended at 10 when Sunnyvale lost 7-3 to the Murray Hill Little League of Beaverton, Ore. Metro lost to Glendale a game later to fall out of the tourney.

Just to get to that tournament, though, was quite an accomplishment for the talented Sunnyvale girls.

Jennifer Juanes was the pitching star for Metro in the first three tournaments. Juanes, working in six of the first nine games, was touched for just four runs and nine hits.

Jessica Moore worked in the other three Sunnyvale games and gave up only one run and nine hits. Moore was also the club's leadoff hitter.

Both Juanes and Moore tossed no-hitters in tournament play.

Catcher Meghan Jost was a defensive leader in the first three tournaments, gunning down enemy runners attempting to steal, and she was also one of the squad's top hitters.

Shortstop Lauren Wong was the defensive wizard in the field for Metro in the first three tournaments.

Julie Henderson, Tara Clor and Kim Glass shared the work at first base in the first three tournaments, and also contributed offensively.

Nicole White starred at second in the sectional and divisional tournaments after sitting out the district tourney with a knee injury. Juanes and Moore filled in at second when not pitching in the first tourney.

Juanes and Moore shared third base in the next two tournaments. Jenna Aruda and Amanda Kelly worked at third in the district tourney.

Erin Sturm starred in center field for Metro and was a top hitter for the club, leading Sunnyvale in extra base hits. Amanda Kelly, Clor, Melanie Stanton, Ashley Delmaso, Glass, Stephanie McShurley and Jenna Aruda shared the rest of the outfield duties. Sunnyvale played errorless softball in the outfield in the first three tournaments.

The nine straight wins pushed Metro into the Western Regionals, and Sunnyvale opened the tourney with a 4-0 win over the Division 4 champion from Sunnyside Little League in Tuscon, Ariz.

But Murray Hill stopped Metro's win string at 10 with a 7-3 victory in the second round of the tourney.

Moore opened the game with a triple to the left field corner, then scored to give Metro a quick 1-0 lead.

But Murray Hill took advantage of Sunnyvale mistakes to score five in the home half of the inning to take over control of the game.

Moore, Jost and Sturm led the offensive attack in the game for Metro.

Sunnyvale lost 8-1 to Foothill of Glendale a game later to slip out of the tourney.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, August 26, 1998.
©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.