Meet the girls representing Kirkland in the Junior Softball World Series

Of the countless girls who play Little League softball each spring and summer, few ever have a real shot at the World Series — except, that is, girls from the eastern edge of Lake Washington.

As the host for the annual Junior Softball World Series, the winner of the District 9 tournament has an automatic bid. This year, the automatic bid was won by the hometown team.

The Kirkland All-Star softball team will take on nine teams from the globe beginning on July 31 at Everest Park, fighting for a chance to play for a world championship on ESPN.

Shortstop Sasha Mitchell remembers watching in previous summers, sitting on the outfield berm and waiting for home run balls.

“I always kind of dreamed that I would [play in the World Series,]” she said. “It’s been one of the things I’d always wanted to do. Last year we tried and didn’t make it, so this year it’s really exciting to go.”

Kirkland last made the tournament two seasons ago and reached the championship game in 2013, a run on the shoulders of pitchers Lisa Nelson and Tori Bivens. The pair went on to pitch for Juanita High and Lake Washington High, respectively.

Mikal Norman, manager for the Kirkland All-Star team, said he hopes to take a similar approach this summer. Jane Wilson, who was a backup pitcher during her freshman season at Lake Washington High School this spring, will hold the No. 1 spot for the Kirkland All-Stars.

“I think we’ve got a good group of girls that can hit and we’ve got a strong pitcher, and we’ve got a couple of backup pitchers that are nipping at [Wilson’s] heels,” Norman said. “They can come in and hopefully give her a rest inning now and then so we don’t have to be a one-pitcher team all the way through.”

Teams play four pool-play games, with the top four teams in each pool advancing to the knockout stage. Norman said he hopes Wilson will only need to pitch 13 to 15 innings, rather than pitching all 28.

Mitchell, who will attend Juanita High School in the fall, is one of Kirkland’s power hitters.

“She hit a couple right to the fence during the [District 9] tournament and she’s done it on a regular basis,” Norman said. “We’ve had some younger hitters come on and really bomb a couple. Our third baseman, Maddy Miller, is one of our 13-year-olds, and she hit one over the fence that broke Bellevue’s back in that championship game.”

Most of the girls have extensive experience in select softball programs, in addition to Little League, and are used to high-pressure games.

“It makes me really nervous knowing a lot of people are going to be there, but you kind of have to take it the same way you take any other tournament – just a little more hype,” said Kaci Gordon.

As an automatic entry into the World Series, Kirkland didn’t have to participate in a state or regional tournament. With the way All-Star teams are chosen, that means Kirkland has only played three games together as a team.

That doesn’t seem to bother Wilson, who said she wouldn’t let the fans or the big stage or the teams from faraway places get to her.

“They’re just here to play softball, and that’s what I’m here to do,” Wilson said. “I’m just going to throw strikes and try to strike them out.”

The first game for Kirkland is scheduled to begin pool play at 5:45 p.m. on July 31 against Hampton, representing British Columbia and Canada.

Kirkland All-Stars, 2016 Junior Softball World Series roster

Abbie Reynolds

Amy Chen

Anna Fridell

Antonia Norman

Claire Longcore

Haley Brown

Jane Wilson

Kaci Gordon