WESTMINSTER, Colo. – The drumbeats from the Puerto Rico side roared throughout the complex on Sunday evening. The singing and chanting from both the Puerto Rico and Polynesia side were strong and festive. Flags were flying. There is something about representing your country that brings out the best in sports. It brings out the best in us.
 
For Polynesia left fielder, Atina’eleila Fonoti, that’s exactly what it did, bringing out her best on the biggest and brightest stage. Some kids dream about making a game-saving catch stretched out over the outfield wall. Some kids dream about hitting a walk-off homerun. Fonoti did both, in the same inning, as U16 Polynesia knocked off Puerto Rico in extra innings, 10-9, in the TC International Challenge Gold Medal Game.”
 
“It was crazy,” Fonoti said of the atmosphere that the championship game brought. “It definitely made me nervous, but I just had to calm myself and remind myself that it was just a game and tune out all the noise.”
 
As they had done all tournament, Polynesia raced out to a 6-2 lead through three innings. Polynesia had entered the championship with the best offense in the tournament, scoring at least 10 runs in all its games, while Puerto Rico hadn’t given up more than four runs in a game. Facing the early deficit though, Puerto Rico’s pitching and defense settled down and the team began its comeback effort.
 
In the top of the 4th inning, Puerto Rico put pressure on Polynesia with its speed on the basepaths. After loading the bases, Puerto Rico came through with a sac fly and an RBI single to make it 6-4. In the bottom half of the inning, Puerto Rico induced a one-two-three inning, and the momentum started to shift.
 
In the top of the 5th inning, Polynesia responded by holding Puerto Rico to its own one-two-three inning, thanks in large part to the defensive play of Fonoti. Fonoti tracked a deep fly ball in left field heading towards the foul line and barreled over the fence while making the catch to record the out. It was a precursor of what was to come.
 
Neither team was able to muster up much on the basepaths over the next couple of innings and the score remained 6-4 heading into the top of the 7th inning with Puerto Rico down to its final three outs. But once again, Puerto Rico’­­s speed on the basepaths put pressure on Polynesia.
 
After a leadoff double from Jasmine Green, a walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Puerto Rico. With the bases loaded, Polynesia got the next batter to ground back to the pitcher and got the force out at home, but going for the double play, the ball hit the runner going to first base and bounced away, allowing a runner from 2nd base to cross home. 6-5. Megan Ramos then stepped up to the plate with an RBI single to tie the game.
 
In the bottom of the 7th inning, Puerto Rico right fielder Adriana Martinez showcased her arm by throwing out a Polynesia runner at third base to end the inning and send the game into extra innings. Momentum was squarely on Puerto Rico’s side. You could sense it on the field. You could see it in the stands.
 
“Puerto Rico is a really, really good team,” Polynesia Head Coach Glenelle Nitta said. “They took advantage of all our mistakes. We just tried to stay together and come together to try and get the win. Congrats to the girls. They made all the plays and did all the work out there.”
 
With momentum on its side, Puerto Rico’s offense got quick to work. With a runner on second for the extra inning rules, Puerto Rico immediately singled it up the middle to take its first lead of the game at 7-6. After another couple of singles, Puerto Rico led 8-6 and eventually had the bases loaded with just one out. A walk made it 9-6 with the bases loaded. That’s when it looked like Puerto Rico was going to run away with the game, but it wasn’t going to happen on Fonoti’s watch.
 
Once again, a ball was barreled and heading for the left field wall, looking like a sure grand slam that would have put Puerto Rico up 13-6. Fonoti sprinted back towards the fence, tracked the ball, and made the catch while crashing over the fence, holding onto the ball, and ending the inning, and damage, at 9-6.
 
“To be honest, I was waiting for the ball to come to me,” Fonoti said. “I was anxious. I wanted to get the out and just go hit. It was really fun.”
 
It was the sliver of hope that Polynesia needed after facing a deficit that it hadn’t seen at this point in the tournament. Charlee-Rose Stevens got things started with an RBI single and advanced to second on the throw, making it 9-7. Mariah Antoque, who had a two-run homerun earlier in the game, followed suit with her own RBI single to make it 9-8.
 
Enter Fonoti, who stepped up to the plate with a runner on first and one out with Polynesia trailing 9-8. After fouling off a couple of pitches, Fonoti knew what pitch she was looking for. She got it on the third pitch and laced a deep fly ball to right-center field for the walk-off homerun, giving Polynesia the thrilling 10-9 win in the championship game.
 
“Going into the bottom inning, we were just thinking to make hard contact so that we could score runs,” Fonoti said. “When I first went up to bat, I was just thinking, ‘drive it on the ground and get on base.’ After that third pitch came in though, I thought ‘this is my pitch’ and I swung. I swung for the fences.”
 
For Polynesia, which also won the 18u division, it was a fitting ending for a team that scored 68 runs in the tournament, 26 more runs than the next best team in the tournament.
 
“Jocelyn Alo is a great trailblazer for the game of softball and for women athletes,” Nitta said of the Oklahoma University standout who set the NCAA record for career homeruns earlier this year. “She’s an inspiration, not only to us, but for girls across the country that are Polynesian descent. This just shows that no matter how big or how small we may be, we can play the game just as good as anyone else.”

​by Kyle Koso

WESTMINSTER, Colo. -- To be specific, great softball comes out of the Pacific.

Anchored by a hard-nosed group of student-athletes hailing from Hawaii, both Polynesia teams at the second International Challenge took first place in their age groups Sunday, with the 18u squad confidently running past Team USA in an 11-2 victory at the Christopher Fields Complex.

After falling behind 1-0, Polynesia started stringing together quality at-bats, putting endless pressure on the opposing defense, and showing special hustle to the end. Asia Lee (a Pacific University commit), for example, scored from second on a wild pitch in the third inning, and Carys Murakami (Northridge) came all the way home from second on an infield error in the same inning.

Taryn Irimata (Iowa State) started in the circle and was very effective; her defense turned two double plays behind her, and the last four batters in the Polynesia batting order combined for seven runs.

“Taryn is a great pitcher, and she’s been working in Hawaii for us for a long time,” said Polynesia coach Josh Danz. “We put all faith in her to go seven innings if necessary.”

Rylei Trujillo (UNLV) hit a home run in the second inning to put Team USA up 1-0, where Polynesia centerfielder Trendee Kahunahana actually had the catch as she tumbled over the fence — the ball bounced free at the last second.

Irimata was not worried about the early deficit.

“I knew my team had my back; we can hit and I believe in the girls. I knew that wasn’t the game, there was a lot of time left,” Irimata said. “We came out and wanted to play for the people back home, and we showed out. I thought we could win it from the beginning. I played with and against a lot of these girls, and I knew we could do it … all I can ask for is solid defense and good hitting, and that’s what happened.”

That offense broke the game open with three runs in the fourth and five more in the fifth. Shonty Passi (Utah) had a single, double and home run; Kahunahana had a two-run single in the fifth.

“The home run, I was just trying to square it up and put it somewhere and not do too much with it. But when it flies, it flies,” Passi said. “Coming from Hawaii we’re just hungry. We won’t give up and keeping fighting to the end, down 10 runs or whatever. It’s body, blood, sweat, whatever we need to do to win. We are competitive.”

Team USA had a difficult time working through mistakes; the game ended with a runner being picked off second base. Allison Robinsn added a home run in the fifth inning.

“We only lost two girls from our team last year; we got this group together along with new 16s and wanted to win both divisions,” Danz added. “We’ve got a great mix of speed and power, and through the tournament we hit home runs left and right — you do that for the pitcher, and she stepped up as well. We wanted to play everyone and show that this is a team win.”

by Kyle Koso

WESTMINSTER, Colo. — For their first time in the International Challenge, Team Central America relied on plan Saturday that has worked in softball for a long time.

Put a great pitcher out there, and let her go to work.

Kaitlyn Raines allowed three hits in five innings, escaping a tricky fourth inning, striking out seven batters and adding a two-run homer in the first inning as Central America claimed a 4-2 victory over Puerto Rico to advance to the quarterfinals of the 18u division. TCA will face the USA at noon at Christopher Fields, with the title game set for 4 p.m.

Raines (Alabama Firecrackers) dominated with her fastball, retiring Puerto Rico in order for three innings. In the fourth, a couple of walks and hits complicated things, but she ended up with three strikeouts in the frame, allowing TCA to protect its lead.

“Even though I was down there, I knew I had to hit my spots, because I was struggling bit there,” Raines said. “I knew I had my team behind me. When it’s going well, I feel like I can throw anything and put it anywhere I want to.

“The (home run), first strike I was like, ‘OK.’ The second pitch came inside and I took it … she did it again, and I jumped on it. I eellike we are good and ready to go.”

TCA added a big run on a solo homer from Kirsten Caravaca (Tampa Mustangs) in the third inning, an opposite-field drive to right that came with two outs. 

“We’d gotten two quick outs there, so I wanted to slow down the game, and she started me inside,” Caravaca said. “So I figured she was going to go high and outside, and when the pitch came Just wanted to make contact. Here in Colorado the air is lighter — I swung at it, starting sprinting, and then thought, that was an insurance run we really needed.

“Opposite field is rare for me. And I was so impressed with Kaitlyn; they’ve got a lot of high-level players over there, and she was able to dominate.”

TCA added a run in the fourth; Yasmine Garcia’s fielder’s choice brought in Nadia Villalobos. The game ended with the time limit in the bottom of the fifth, as Central America had the bases loaded with two outs.

“Our pitcher was hitting her spots, left and right, up and down, it all started with her. I think the other team was bit flat-footed, guessing, but it’s a good team and no surprise they got some runs,” said TCA coach German Caravaca. “This is great for Team Central America; we are going to keep growing and will have a 16u next year, and I’m pleased about that.

“Kirsten has learned how to go opposite field; she’s become an all-around player. She picked that up on her own, and that’s why she’s going to play in college (at North Florida).”

Saadielys Maysonet (Ohio Outlaws) had a two-run single for Puerto Rico.

​by Kyle Koso

WESTMINSTER, Colo. — Like most teams last the Triple Crown International Challenge, Ireland’s squad doesn’t have a ton of history together, as players often meet each other just before the start of game action.

There’s no better bond than delivering for each other as the stakes get higher.

Makenna Sturgis (Tampa Mustangs) hit a key two-out, three-run homer in the fourth inning to give Ireland a four-run lead over Team Israel, and starter Cassidy Shaw (Firecrackers Brashear/Hicks) pitched a four-hitter with six strikeouts over six innings as the Irish rang up a 12-1 victory at the Christopher Field Complex on Saturday. The win puts Ireland in the quarterfinals; it’ll take on Japan on Sunday, with the 18u title game set for 4 p.m.

Sydney Farmer (Firecrackers Brashear 16u) was also huge in the moment, with four hits (including a grand slam in the sixth inning) and six RBI. Hannah Allen (USA Athletics and a UC-San Diego commit) punched in a two-run single in the fifth.

The blowout win had plenty of early stressors for Ireland, with Shaw needing to solve multiple situations where Israel had runners in scoring position with fewer than two outs. She really never blinked, finding a way to notch a strikeout or infield play to wrap up an inning.

“I really trust my defense and my catcher behind me, and I’m a player that relies on the connection with my catcher … I’m loud on the field, and I trust what’s going on behind me so I’m fully out of my head and we are playing as a team,” Shaw said. “It’s a huge honor being here and representing Team Ireland; I’m grateful for the opportunity to do this, have fun, which is what the game is all about. It’s so cool, a huge honor, and I’m grateful.

“It’s amazing being able to rely on the bats carrying you through the game. You can fully breathe, and you have the room to do your thing.”

Sturgis, who scored three times from the leadoff spot and added a run-scoring single in the sixth, is more noted for her harrowing speed with five stolen bases in the tourney so far. But it was the long ball that set things right for Ireland.

“I got two strikes on me so it was a little bit nerve-wracking, but she gave me an inside pitch and I just drove it,” Sturgis said. “(Shaw) had a good amount of strikeouts, and we always have her back on defense. People are confident and know their abilities, and no one got down themselves or the team. We are all feeling hyped — this is my first time here, I like the energy here and everyone’s really nice.”

“She’s been a presence in the dugout the whole time, come out of her shell. I saw that a couple games ago; she’s hitting for us, and her speed is undeniable,” said Team Ireland coach David Gaffney. “For Cassidy, I had her on the roster last year, and I saw a lot … this year there’s a tenacity I’ve not seen before. Every out, it was like she needed it and had to get it. Perfect job.”

Skylar Stroh (All-American Sports Academy) added three hits and three runs for Ireland. For Israel, Jacqueline Berkowitz (AZ Storm) doubled in Isabel Cohen (Intensity/Morales) for a run — most notably, shortstop Tara Vandewater (Nebraska Gold) made three breathtaking plays in the infield, definitely flexing her capacity to perform at the next level.

by Kyle Koso

WESTMINSTER, Colo. — Walking away from a hard-fought contest with a tie may not have been the deepest desire for the 16u teams from Mexico and the USA on Friday, but the result did allow each squad to dream about better results to come.

The 9-9 score out of pool play at the International Challenge saw multiple comebacks and swerves of momentum, backed by the soundtrack of Team Mexico’s boisterous fan section that made Christopher Fields an exciting place to be for this special Triple Crown Fastpitch event in its second year.

In the final moments and with the time limit expired, Mexico reliever Taylor Mediano struck out the last two batters of the fourth inning to preserve the tie, with runners on second and third. Mexico tied the game in the top of the fourth on a two-out home run from Jillian Torres.

“I was just trying to hit my spots, maybe get some easy ground balls, just dome thing on the mound,” said Mediano, who plays for the Wildcats club program out of Orange County, Calif. “We did a great job coming back. This will keep us motived and make sure we press on.”

Team USA jumped ahead 4-0 in the first inning, with Hannah Cornetto (Atlanta Vipers) lashing a two-run homer; another highlight was a double steal that saw Katelyn Kilgore come home for a run. The hot start was very important for the USA, which had been stung by a 15-4 setback to the Philippines in the game before.

“I knew the strike zone was small, but I was looking for pitch to attack,” Cornetto said. “The pitcher looked like she was throwing low and outside in warmups, but I knew she’d have to come in eventually. It was a good game; every time they scored, we came back. And while the defense made some mistakes, we always kept at it and made someplace to help the pitchers.”

The scores sat at 5-1 after two innings, and that’s when Mexico made a serious move, bringing in six runs. Kayla Estrada (Firecrackers Medina/Schneider) had a two-run single in the mix, and Alexia Ramirez (Explosion Sanchez) added a run-scoring double before Team USA made a pitching change.

The Americans kept the faith and scored four runs in the bottom of the third to go ahead 9-7, with the key hit a two-run single from Maddie McSorley (BSC Bengals).

“Today is all about giving people opportunities, and the girls did a great job bouncing back from the first game,” said USA coach Liza Liddell. “Ultimately, we wanted to see who would fight and who has grit, and that’s we look forward to the most.”

In the fourth, Natalie Omahen (Firecrackers Travieso) got a critical two-out walk for Mexico, and then Torres knotted it up with a high drive to right-center field.

“This was great stuff from both teams, a back-and-forth game where both teams made some mistakes, but it was awesome to see both teams fight,” said Mexico coach Steve Montoya. “Both teams deserved to win that one.” 

Friday’s opening round saw Polynesia, Philippines, Greece and Puerto Rico go 2-0 overall. Five more pool play games cap the Saturday schedule, with championship bracket action starting Sunday at 8 a.m.

WA pitcher earned spot on Peru U-18 team after TCS event last June

With hundreds of players suiting up and thousands of fans tracking every step, it’s little wonder that the 2021 International Challenge commanded serous attention at the front end of the Colorado 4th of July fastpitch event.

Turns out another group of interested fans was watching – officials for various national softball organizations.

The blizzard of games at the Christopher Complex in Westminster featured matchups between more than 20 teams, playing under the flag of their nationalities ranging from Asia to Europe and many stops in between. Nearly two dozen athletes were later contacted by national federations to suit up for Olympic or developmental squads, with officials understanding the International Challenge was the perfect setting to identify qualified talent.

One of the players who took that next step onto a national stage was Yanina Sherwood, 15, a sophomore at Henry M. Jackson High School in Bothell, WA., a north-central suburb of Seattle. Playing for the ai Bandits 18u Breer program, Sherwood got on the radar of the Peru program and showed her skills at an evaluation workout after the International Challenge -- these workout sessions were a partnership between Triple Crown and the Empowering Leadership in Latina Athletes (ELLA) Sports Foundation.

“It was such a good experience, and I got to meet all these new people,” said Sherwood, who won 10 games as a freshman pitcher for Jackson HS, striking out 156 batters in under 81 innings of work. “It ran smooth and was cool to be around a bunch of softball players from the Latina community.”

About a week after the Colorado 4th of July event, Sherwood was on a flight home from another tournament when she got a phone message from the Peru 18u national team, which was looking to beef up its roster for upcoming competitions in the latter half of 2021. Yanina’s mother, Angelica, was born in the country’s capital of Lima, opening the door of eligibility to join the team.

Yanina, who added 142 strikeouts in her most recent club season, eventually pitched and played some first base at the U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup.

“The experience was amazing. All of the girls that I played with were so sweet, and I couldn’t of ask to have a better experience than I already did,” Yanina said. “I’ve never been to Peru before or never grow up around a lot of people my race, so I had so much fun learning so many new things and getting to see where my mom grew up.

“I got to play pitcher and first base; my coaching staff and team were so welcoming and made me feel at home and a part of their family right away. I’m happy to say that I can call all of them my family. I would love to do it all over again, and I can’t wait to see my team when the opportunity comes.”
​
Not surprisingly, Angelica Sherwood and Yanina’s father, Jack Sherwood, had a deep and profound response to seeing their daughter suit up for Peru.
 
“Last time I was in Peru was 20 years ago. This was a perfect excuse for me to go back and for Yanina to see my country for the first time; I was excited,” she said. “I didn’t even know Peru had a softball team until I got the email for the Evaluation Camp. I signed Yanina up just for the experience without thinking anyone was going to reach out to her.
 
“First game, I had tears coming down my face, seeing Yanina wearing the Peruvian jersey and hearing the national anthem. That was a moment I’ll never forget. The coaches, the girls, the whole staff were amazing and so welcoming; they made the whole experience unforgettable.”

The 2022 International Challenge is set for June 24-26; 28 teams are expected to suit up, with two separate age groups (16u and 18u).
​
International Challenge - Home (tcinternationalchallenge.com)

​Triple Crown Fastpitch is ready with highly anticipated news about the 2022 International Challenge, part of the intriguing menu at our Colorado 4th of July event and slated for June 24-26 at the Christopher Fields complex in Westminster, CO.
 
Eligibility rules for players are the same as last year; you must fulfill at least two of the below requirements:

• U.S. citizen
• Have a parent born in the country you want to represent
• Have a grandparent born in the country you want to represent
• Have a great grandparent born in the country you want to represent
• Born in the country you want to represent

 
There will be 24 teams in the 2022 event, broken into a 16u division and an 18u division. A few more countries may be added, depending on demand. No collegiate players are allowed to participate.
 
The countries to be represented for 2022 are as follows:
 
Canada
Cuba
Dominican Republic
Germany
Great Britain
Greece
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Middle East
Netherlands
Philippines
Polynesia
Puerto Rico
South Korea
Spain
United States
 
There will be Opening Ceremonies celebration on June 24; time and date of the Team USA vs. World Team game that caps the event is TBA.
 
Our expectation is that college coaches as well as representatives with selected international federations will be on hand for recruiting purposes; again, more details will be available as we approach the start of the event.

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