1976 held at American Way Park in Memphis, Tennessee on August 5-8.
Champion: Raiders, Sepulveda, California (36-2)
Runner Up: Charolais Queens, McPherson, Kansas (35-3)
An apparent broken arm and a hit batter were the deciding factors in last night’s senior girls (16-18) national softball championship game as the Raiders of Sepulveda, Calif., scratched and clawed its way to a 6-3 victory over Charolais Queens of McPherson, Kan., at American Way Park.
The extra-inning, come-from-behind victory was especially sweet for the Raiders, who lost to Love Park, Ill., in the finals a year ago.
Charolais Queens jumped to a quick 2-0 lead , and was cruising along with a 3-1 margin when misfortune struck in the game of the day, while the Raiders were in their fifth inning. The Charolais Queens were playing their fourth game of the day, while the Raiders were in their second.
Raiders’s Shelley Bly reached first on an error. With one out, she took third when Charolais Queens pitcher, Susan Sundahl, stopped a line drive with her right arm. Miss Sundahl was taken to a local hospital with what officials thought was a fracture. Miss Bly then scored on Nickie Clark’s fielder’s choice to bring the Raiders within one, 3-2.
The Raiders pulled even in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, reliever Michelle Decker hit Lisa Feldman to force the tie.
The Charolais Queens had a chance to win the contest in the seventh when its first two batters singled. But the Raider’s bend-but-never-break defense squashed the rally.
The Raiders, which beat Charolais Queens last year in the semifinals, closed its season with a 36-2 mark while Charolais Queens dropped to 35-3.
Raiders’s sponsor is Memphian Tom Hartzog who has business connections in California.
Lincoln Odyssey, finished third in a field of 42 entries with Hale’s Angels, copping fourth.
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Raiders, Sepulveda, CA
2. McPherson, KS (5-2)
3. Lincoln Odyssey, Lincoln, NE
4. Hale’s Angels, Tulsa, OK
5t.
5t.
7t.
7t.
9t.
9t.
9t.
9t.
13t.
13t.
13t.
13t.
17t.
17t.
17t.
17t.
17t.
17t.
17t.
17t.
25t.
25t.
25t.
25t.
25t.
25t.
25t.
25t.
33t.
33t.
33t.
33t.
33t.
33t.
33t.
33t.
33t.
33t.
TEAMS: Trouble, Carlsbad, NM / Bionics, Bartlesville, OK / Middle Valley Tom Boys, Hixon, TN / Tom Boys, Anniston, AL / Raiders, Rockford, IL / Love Park Cougars, Love Park, IL / Tabernacle Kittens, Indianapolis, IN / Broome Dusterettes, Vestal, NY
