One year after a strong runner-up finish in Sectionals, the San Marino National Little League 8-to-10-year-old team leaned on six returning players and six talented newcomers to win the Southern California State Softball title.
San Marino’s road to the championship began with a 17-0 rout of Azusa, highlighted by multi-hit games from Peyton Kim (four RBIs, home run), Maddie Rome, Helena Martin, (four RBIs, HR), Cambria Henry (three RBIs, HR) and Hailey Flores.
Makena Giddings and Julia Hosp added triples, while every player had at least one hit.
Henry and Kim combined for a no-hitter. San Marino manager Dan Giddings knew it would be tough the rest of the way.
“We had the ‘Group of Death’ draw with traditional powers Westchester Del Rey, Quartz Hill and Apple Valley on our side of the bracket,” Dan Giddings said. “We scrimmaged Westchester Del Rey and knew they had one of the top pitchers in the tournament. We really worked hard on our small ball game, offensively and defensively, knowing that could be the difference against top-line pitching.”
Westchester Del Rey took a 3-1 lead into the fourth inning, and that is when Giddings called on the small-ball game.
After Martin drew a walk and Emme Winnarko singled, Giddings called on daughter Makena to bunt, which resulted in a single and throwing error, scoring two runs to tie the game.
In the fifth, the bottom of the lineup took control when Hosp singled, Morgan Teawsart had a bunt single, Flores had an infield single and Audrey Hosp walked in the go-ahead run.
With one runner on in the fifth, Julia Hosp hauled in what was considered the catch of the tournament when she robbed Westchester Del Rey of a potential home run in right center field. Henry and Kim again combined for the win on the rubber.
San Marino returned to their small ball game, timely hitting and stellar pitching to beat Apple Valley, 5-1, in the following game where Henry struck out 16 and allowed three hits. Giddings’ bunting again stifled the opponent, forcing a throwing error to score Kim from first base. Giddings stole home on an ensuing wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.
In the fourth, Kim smoked a triple to score Maddie Rome and Harper Lee, and San Marino capped their scoring when Lee doubled in Audrey Hosp. San Marino produced a defensive highlight for the last out of the game. As the ball reached for the fence, the team executed a double-cut relay to get a runner out at home.
Next up was West L.A., which won their first three games by a combined score of 36-0.
However, Henry was not phased, showing why she was the best pitcher in the tournament. She threw a complete game, two-hitter with 15 strikeouts and no walks. Despite Henry’s historic effort, the game was scoreless in the fourth with San Marino’s top-of-the-lineup on deck.
Kate Rome walked, Lee drew a hit-by-pitch and Winnarko bunted to load the bases.
Giddings followed to incredible fanfare. As the fans chanted “San Marino,” Giddings drew a full count and caught up to a fast ball just enough to carry over the left fielder’s head for a bases-clearing triple. She then took home on an errant throw.
Tewasart had a two-RBI single in the sixth to cap a 7-0 victory.
West L.A. won their next game to earn a spot in the championship and a matchup against San Marino. Despite a late rally in the title showdown, San Marino came up short in a 5-2 loss to West L.A. to set up the deciding tie-breaking game.
In the tiebreaker, the San Marino defense set the tone, sparked by Giddings, Julia Hosp and Kate Rome.
San Marino’s first five batters reached base. Lee’s bunt single scored Kate Rome, and Kim followed with a two-run single to set up a 3-0 lead.
San Marino’s defense continued to stifle West L.A. with a double play in the second inning. Winnarko fielded a bunt and rifled the throw to Giddings at first base, who sent it to Rome at shortstop.
West L.A. ultimately broke through with three runs in the third inning to tie the game, and Lee responded in the fourth with an inside-the-park home run to give San Marino the 4-3 lead. Henry, who went the distance in this game and threw 11 innings on the day, was clutch in the circle, yielding zero walks and making a number of plays to help herself out.
At the top of the sixth, West L.A. had a baserunner reach on an error, and tied the game on a run-scoring triple and took the lead on a wild pitch steal of home.
With the state title on the line, Kate Rome reached base on an infield single and Maddie Rome walked on a full count before Harper Lee delivered a fly ball over the left fielder’s head for a walk-off moment that will not soon be forgotten.
“This is the third state softball championship I have been a part of,” Dan Giddings said. “It is the sweetest given the high level of competition, the way the San Marino community supported us and how every single girl responded to adversity and pressure with greatness. The future of San Marino softball has never been brighter, but for now we are going to enjoy the moment together, as a softball family.”
