As the Junior League Softball World Series kicked off at Everest Park in Kirkland on Sunday, the first day’s results were extremely decisive.

With the exception of one game, Asia Pacific and East, all contests were mercy-rule shortened to five innings. When you gather the world’s best softball team’s, there’s bound to be some fine competition.

Mark Gransee’s team, the Redmond/Eastlake host team, was on the receiving end of one of those games, losing 12-5 to the Latin America team, represented by ASOFEM Little League of Maunabo, Puerto Rico, in five innings.

But the host team wasn’t the only squad to have its game end early – Canada (Canadian Little League, Windsor, Ontario) lost 15-1 to Southeast (South Tampa Little League, Tampa, Fla.), and the West (Snow Canyon Little League, Santa Clara, Utah) lost 11-1 to Central (Elyria East Little League, Elyria, Ohio).

“We just didn’t have our best game,” said West coach Jesse Shipp. “But we made a pact, win or lose, we’re at the World Series, and we’re going to have fun.”

In the lone close game, Asia Pacific (Illam Central Little League, Makati City, Philippines) defeated East (Nanticoke/Newport Little League, Naticoke, Pa.) 5-4.

Each team will play four pool games to determine playoff seeding, as the top two teams in each pool move on to the crossover semifinals for a shot at the World Series title. Teams that fail to earn one of the top-two seeds will still compete for placing in the consolation games.

“We feel like we have a real shot,” said Central coach Keith Buckley. “We feel like we’re a pretty well-rounded team and we’re going to stay well-rounded.”

Play at the World Series continues today, with the following games: Southeast vs. Latin America (1:45 p.m., Field B); West vs. East (2 p.m., Field A); Southwest vs. Host (4:45 p.m., Field B); and Asia Pacific vs. EMEA (5 p.m., Field A).

Despite the decisive scores of the first day, coaches and players alike agreed on one thing: that Everest Park in Kirkland was the ideal setting for the World Series.

“In my baseball playing career and in any of our travels, I’ve never seen a facility this unbelievable,” Shipp said. “It’s clean, it’s precise…the dirt is even beautiful. It’s pleasing to the eye here.”

“I love it,” Shipp continued. “It’s a gift just to be here.”

First day scores

Southeast 15, Canada 1 (5 innings)

Latin America 12, Host 5 (5 innings)

Asia Pacific 5, East 4

Central 11, West 1 (5 innings)