Kirkland eliminated from Little League Softball World Series

Locals lose to Central squad.

By Andy Nystrom • August 13, 2018 12:10 pm

Kirkland slowly rolled to the end of its softball road at the Little League World Series.

Central from Wheelsburg, Ohio, snatched a 10-1 victory in the elimination quarterfinals on Monday at Alpenrose Stadium in Portland, Oregon. Kirkland is 3-2 in the series and Ohio advanced to the semis with a 3-2 record.

In the ESPN2-televised game, Ohio lit up the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning with a pair of runs on three hits with two outs to go up 2-0. Kirkland got out of the inning with a groundout with the bases loaded.

The Central squad added two more runs in the second to pad a 4-0 lead on an overthrow and a sacrifice flyout.

Three more runners touched the plate for Central in the third on a two-RBI single and with the runner taking an extra base on a sacrifice bunt and throw to third.

Central added more damage in the sixth by hammering five hits for three runs that resulted in a 10-0 lead.

Kirkland tallied its lone run in the sixth inning when Kya Aldrich scored on a error after an Ashlyn Cook grounder.

Kirkland threatened in the third with two runners on and two outs before AndiJoHoward registered her sixth strikeout (she finished with 12). Christina Minor walked for the second time and Kaidence Caiola singled for Kirkland’s only hit.

Minor started in the pitchers’ circle and lasted 1 1/3 innings before Aldrich entered in relief.

Defensively for Kirkland, Bella Ely was solid at second base time and time again and Caiola notched a stretching catch in center field.