1975 held at MacArthur Park, First Ward Park, and Floral Park in Binghamton, New York on August 7-10.
Champion: Loves Park Cougars, Loves Park, Illinois
Runner Up: Raiders, Sepulveda, California
The Loves Park Cougars defeated the Raiders of Sepulveda, Calif.. 9-4 here Sunday night to capture the Amateur Softball Association’s National junior girls (ages I6-18) fast-pitch softball championship.
The Cougars built a 4-0 lead, before the Raiders. The California state champion finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning of the championship game in the double elimination tournament.
Sandy Reed pitched and won her fourth tournament game, yielding 10 hits and four earned runs in the championship game. She did not strike out any batters, and she did not issue any walks.
The Cougars struck for three runs in the first inning and three more in the fourth to build an insurmountable 6-0 advantage.
In the first inning outburst, Luau Swanberg and Reed each singled, and moved up on a wild pitch. Swanberg then scored on an error on a grounder by Joan Meinert. Carey Sydow then singled, driving in Reed. Meinert then scored when Debbie Helgeson grounded to short, and the Raiders shortstop bobbled the
In the third inning, Reed drove a triple over the left-fielder’s head, driving in Gail Salley and Swanberg, who each had singled. Reed scored on an error.
Loves Park finished seventh in this tournament last year.
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Loves Park Cougars, Loves Park, IL (6-0)
2. Raiders, Sepulveda, CA (5-2)
3. McPherson, KS (6-2)
4. Houston, TX (5-2)
5t. Hale’s Angels, Tulsa, OK (3-2)
5t. Lincoln Odyssey, Lincoln, NE (3-2)
7t. Kelso, WA (3-2)
7t. Irving, TX (2-2)
9t. Omaha, NE (3-2)
9t. Overland Park, KS (3-2)
9t. Oklahoma City, OK (3-2)
9t. Clute, TX (3-2)
13t. Binghamton East, Binghamton, NY (1-2)
13t. Chattanooga Valley Eagles, Memphis, TN (1-2)
13t. Birmingham, AL (1-2)
13t. Ramsey, NJ (1-2)
17t. Vestal Vagabonds, Vestal, NY (0-2)
17t. Sunset, UT (0-2)
17t. Levittown, PA (0-2)
17t. Morton Lassies, Morton, IL (0-2)
17t. Chattanooga Raiders, Flintstone, GA (0-2)
17t. Manassas, VA (0-2)
17t. Rochester, IN (0-2)
17t. Duncan, OK (1-2)
25t. Huntsville, AL (0-2)
25t. Toledo, OH (0-2)
25t. West Springfield, MA (0-2)
Loves Park, IL players literally leap for joy, pitcher Sandy Reed pogo-sticking off the mound and firstsacker Joan Meinert raising her arms as the final out is made for the national girls softball championship before a crow of 3,500 that has little MacArthur Fields hemmed in on all sides by humanity.
