Live Blog: 2012 Softball World Series – New Hyde Park vs. Southwest

Welcome to the live blog of the opening round of the 2012 Little League Softball World Series. We will be updating you constantly on how the New Hyde Park 11/12 Girls Softball team is faring against their opponents, the Asia Pacific champions in the first game.

The games are also being broadcast live over the internet at the Softball World Series website, but there is a charge for viewership.

Please remember that you will need to refresh your browser window in order to get the latest updates from this page.

Hi everyone, welcome to our live blog – we're just waiting for the game to start in Portland. Conditions for the game are a balmy 90º with winds at 12 mph out of the north-northwest, gusting to 19 mph and humidity is 33 percent.

The New Hyde Park girls had an off day yesterday – their only one of this tournament – and they spent it along with the Central team at the Challenge game, a match for special youngsters where the girls helped them with skills in the game. Click .

Top of the 1st

Jenny Hickey will be in the circle for NHP. This is a battle of undefesteds. Sanchez steps in for the SW. First pitch is high for a ball. Second pitch is high as well. Strike one in the middle. Swing and a miss evens the count at 2. Changeup misses for 3-2.  Grounder to third, third is good from Donnelly to Fitzpatrick for the first out.

Andrea Howard is up now, SW 1B. First pitch swing and she is on with an infield single to first.

SW C is up.  Count is 0-2. Swing and a miss as the runner goes and is in time but safe so Howard is at second with a SB. Grimshaw behind the plate for NHP, one out. Hit to third, checks the runner and throw to first is in time for the out. Howard moves to third on the throw.

Next batter is Stein and is led off with a strike. Grounder to third, long throw in time for the out.

0 R, 1 H, 1 LOB

Bottom of the 1st

Strunck is the pitcher for SW. Fitzpatrick, Hickey and Ward will lead off for NHP. First pitch bounces on the plate for ball one. High and away for ball 2. Low and away for ball three and she walks on four straight.

Hickey turns to bunt for strike one. Second try and goes to third, sacrifice will work as Fitzpatrick heads to third and she is out on the double play! Score it 5-3-5.

Ward is up now. First pitch misses, 1-0. Ball in the dirt and 2-0 now. Grounded to second, she boots it and Ward is safe on the error.

Grimshaw is now at the plate. Strike at the knees for 0-1. Ball is low for ball one. Ball on the outside half for strike two. Hit right up the middle as the throw comes down to the plate, they've got Ward pegged in the rundown, the thirdbaseman hit's Ward and it bounces away and she scores as Grimshaw advances to third.

NHP leads 1-0

Donnelly up now. Pitch is in the dirt, for ball one. 2-0 count now. Takes a called strike one. Morales on deck. Strike right down the middle. Swing nd a pop foul. Swing and another foul, still 2-2 to Donnelly. Pitch is high for 3-2. Swing and slicing to right but foul. Swing ans hit to right will be into first in time for the out for the third out.

1 R, 2 H, 1E and 1 LOB

Top of the 2nd

Righty Hayle Martinez will be up for SW. First pitch is high, 1-0. Ball high, 2-0. Swing and a miss, 2-1. Another high for 3-1 count.

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Top of the 3rd

And we are back up! They've turned the lights on here at the ballpark.

NHP leads 2-0 now.

Looks to be the top of the 3rd and there's a leadoff hit with 0 outs, two runners on and Sanchez is up. Basehit into the gap for SW, scoring two on an RBI triple for Catherine Sanchez and the game is tied at 2.

Game tied 2-2

Howard up for SW now. 1-0 pitch is hit past short for an RBI single.

SW leads 3-2

Mccallister at the plate now. Again hit to short, throw to first for the out. This is the first time in the tournament that NHP has trailed.

Hickey misses high, 1-0 the count. Pitch is hit past first for a hit. Runners at first and second now, still one out. Throw is high now. Pop up to shallow left and the relay is in time on the force at third play, 7-5.

Throw off to first, noting doing to check the runner. Ball is outside to run the count to 3-0. Takes a strike, 3-1. One pitch from loading the bases here. Delivery is high and the bases are loaded. Time is called for NHP.

The SW pitcher is up now, looks at a strike. Hit foul down to third. Ball is low inside for ball 2. Another foul for 2-2. pitch is way high and the count is full and start the merry-go-round. Pitch is hit on the ground to short and makes the play to first 6-3 for the third out.

3R, 5 H and 3 LOB

Bottom of the 3rd

SW changes its RF. Hickey will bat now from the left. Pitch is low, 1-0. Low again, 2-0. Goes 3-0 on low again. A walk on four straight as Hickey trots down to first and Ward comes up.

Grounder past first into left for a double and the third goes to third and hits the dugout.

Grimshaw up now. She singled her previous at-bat. Time is called as Andrea Howard will now pitch for SW and Strunk goes to 3B and Stein is now at first. First pitch is a strike on the outside. Ball outside, count is 1-1. Ball is grounded to short, throw comes home, out as Grimshaw reaches on the FC and goes to second on the throw, Ward over to third. PR for Grimshaw at third.

Donnelly is 1-0 now. Strike called. Ball to short, they come home and get the runner between third and home, they tag her 6-2, and go over to third to get the second out, 2-5 to end the frame.

0R, 1H and 1 LOB

Top of the 4th

First pitch to Reyes for SW is a called ball. She is the No. 8 batter. Count 1-1 now. Strike two after a swing now. Hickey still in and a changeup is called for a ball. Count goes full on a ball high. Foul up and away. Chopper to Hickey and over to first for the first out.

Taylor Jones takes a ball on the first pitch. Pitch is low, 2-0. Strike called, 2-1. Another ball for 3-1. Jones looks at a strike. Foul and count is still full. Hit into center for a base hit, Hickey slowed it down a bit by getting a hand on it.

Sanchez, 1-2 in the game with a triple and run scored is now up. First pitch is grounded to third and the throw is in the dirt, can't get it and Jones advances to third. So runner at the corners and one out.

Howard at bat now. Pitch way outside. Throw over to second, runner at third tags, they come home but its too late and the run scores and Sanchez advances.

SW leads 4-2

1-0 count on Howard. Lined hit right back to Hickey but they can't double Sanchez off at second, but two out now.

McCallister at bat and a wild pitch advances a runner to third. Base hit up the middle on a single and the run scores.

SW leads 5-2

Stein at the plate, she is 1-2 as a PR is at first for the catcher. Pitch is outside, 1-0. High and away again, 2-0. Pitch is inside now, 2-1. Called strike 2. Pitch is sliced into left for a base hit for a single. Runners at first and second now.

SW batter takes a strike now 0-1. High pitch and check over to first for a caught stealing to end it

2 R, 3 H, 1 LOB

Bottom of the 4th

Morales leads off for NHP followed by Arkin and Jacoby, but Kusler is being the PH. She squares to bunt and it's low for ball one. Strike one called on Kusler. Arkin next at the plate. Ball is back to the pitcher, retired 1-3 for the out.

RF Arkin now steps in. Swing and a miss strike one. Two strikes after another swing. Hit to short but throw is nowhere near in time for an infield single.

Tubberty fouls the first pitch off now for strike one as the bunt is no good. Ball is low and the runner goes, throw is not in time. Two strike pitch is outside for ball one. Hit and it's blooped into right, throw is shot into hi=ome, run scores, it's an RBI single as Arkin scores and Tubberty moves to second on the throw.

SW leads 5-3

Niedermyer is up now, first pitch is bunted foul. Ball is in the dirt, wild pitch gets the runner to third. Count is 1-1. Bunt is on the third baseline, toss to first gets the runner and throw to the plate is in time and ends the frame on 1-3-2 double play.

1R, 2 H, 1 LOB

Top of the 5th

Martinez, Madrid and Strunk are scheduled for SW. Martinez steps in as Hickey is still pitching and misses 1-0. Low for ball 2. Called for strike one. Bunt down and Hickey makes the play 1-3.

SS Madrid is up at the plate now. Hit is grounded to third and the toss is made to first for the out.

Strunk, 0-2, now digs in. Sliced hit on the first pitch will get her over to third with a triple down into the RF corner.

SW RF is up now. Ball one is high again. Hit is past the shortstop for an RBI single

SW leads 6-3

Taylor Jones at the plate now. First pitch is popped up to second and Jacoby puts it away.

1R, 1H and 0 LOB

Bottom of the 5th

Fitzpatrick is up at the plate now, to be followed by Hickey and Ward. Strike called, 1-1 on Fitzpatrick. 1B umpire says she went around, count now 1-2. She sits and looks at a called strike 3 for the first out, the first K of the game.

Howard in the circle for SW facing Hickey in the box. She takes a couple of pitches and it's 2-0 now. A called first strike now on Hickey. Comebacker to the pitcher, puts it away 1-3.

Ward steps up now. Pitch is ball one and the catcher can't hang on. No harm, no foul there. Fouled pitch and it's 1-1. Grimshaw on deck. Changeup drops in for strike two. Swing and it goes down to third and the throw is made to first, 5-3 and the dside is retired 1,2,3.

0 R, 0 H and 0 LOB

Top of the 6th

Hickey still in as Sanchez digs in. First pitch is high. 2-0 count now. Strike is called. Sanchez hits it to short and takes a hop and it gets the leadoffbatter on base.

Sanchez is up now for SW. First pitch strike now. Ball is popped straight up and she is retired on 1 unassisted.

McCallister now at the plate. Throw down to second as Sanchez steals and the throw is off-line. Drive into right fair, the run will score with a double.

SW leads 7-3

Stein at the plate now. First pitch swinging to third, can't make it, toss to second not in time and the runners are all safe with runners at the corners.

Martinez is now at the plate, looking for her first hit. Attempt to bunt is pulled back, Stein nabs second on defensive indifference. Martinez takes a strike at the knees. Hit into right, throw to the plate on the single and not in time.

SW leads 8-3

Madrid up. Runners at the corners now, one out. Pulls the bunt back for ball one. Gets a swinging strike low for 1-1. Foul down to first base. Swing and a miss for strike three called.

Strunk, 1-3, steps in to the batter's box. Ball is in the dirt. Bouncer high that rolls foul and another run will come in and the runners advance on the wild pitch and another run scores.

SW leads 9-3

Hickey misses again on two straight to walk the batter and runners at the corners again.

Strunk goes down to second, again defensive indifference.

SW batter grounds to third, over to first for the out.

3 R, 3 H and 2 LOB

Bottom of the 6th

Last chance for NHP. Should they come back, they can advance into 1st position against Hawaii, is not, then the SW would hold that claim.T They have to face the West team tomorrow.

First pitch to Grimshaw is a ball, runs to 2-0. Runs to 3-0. Walks on 4 straight pitches.

Donnelly up now. Takes a strike, 0-1. Low again, throw to fist. Strike is called and another throw to first, 2-1. Pitch is popped to shallow right but the RF is right there, one away.

Morales at the plate now. Strike one called. Offspeed pitch and Morales lays off, count is 1-1. Next pitch is high for ball 2. Count levels at 2-2 with a strike. Offspeed pitch is grounded for an out.

Hanna Arkin is up. Two outs now. First pitch swinging strike one. Changeup rolls to the plate. Next pitch is high and away, 2-1. 2-2 now. Fould off to the third base side. Called strike three on Arkin.

NHP now faces a must-win game for them against the West, while the SW will certainly advance to the next round.

The East now has a 2-1 record in Pool B, while SW goes to 3-0. The East will take on the West Monday at 4 p.m PST, 7 p.m. EST.

Once again your final score is SW 9, NHP 3.