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

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 89º with winds at 11 mph out of the north-northwest and humidity is 30 percent.

New Hyde Park had a tough loss yesterday, 9-3 against the undefeated team from the Southwest, who clinched Pool B with that victory. Now the only question remains is who will go in for the No. 2 spot, if it will be the East (New Hyde Park) or the West, which comes out of Hawaii. Both have identical 2-1 records in pool play coming into the game. If New Hyde Park wins, they will get second place and play the winner from Pool A, either Latin America, which is 3-0 and plays tonight at 11 p.m. EST, or the Southeast, which won earlier today 12-0. If they lose, they would end up playing for the No. 5 spot against Central tomorrow at noontime.

Melissa Ward will be in the circle for New Hyde Park tonight, she is 1-0 in the tournament.

Top of the 1st

W 2B will lead things off. First pitch is slapped bunted foul for strike one. Count evens on a ball low. Next pitch is fouled off to third base. Grounder to second, Jacoby over to first, one away.

W SS steps in. Ward's first pitch is a ball, 1-0. Next pitch is low again, ball two. Fly to center and Niedermyer can't make the play as the runner will get to second with a double.

W CF is the next better. First pitch is bunted foul in the box. Swing and a foul for the second strike. Pitch is high and away, ball one. Swing and a miss on the changeup for the strikeout.

W Rf is next up. Swing and a miss, throw to third is not in time, stolen base. Grounder foul for the second strike. Fly to center and it cant be picked up in center, plays it on a hop as the run scores for the RBI single.

West leads 1-0

Pitcher for the West steps in. Ball is down low, ball one. Checked swing to go 2-0. Skied to left field for Hickey and she puts it away.

1 R, 2 H, 0 E and 1 LOB

Bottom of the 1st

Kamacha will be the pitcher for the West. Leading off will be 1B Fitzpatrick. First pitch is low for ball one. Low, 2-0. Pitch is high, 3-0. Walk on four straight pitches.

Hickey, the SS, is now up, trading in her pitching duties tonight. First pitch is a called strike one. Pitch is taken again for strike two. Next pitch is low again, but a ball. And called strike three for the first out.

Melissa Ward, the pitcher is up now. First pitch is outside for a ball. Strike one down the middle. Pitch is grounded back to the pitcher whogoes to second to get the force, 1-4.

Grimshaw up for NHP and lines one right up the middle and the throw is into third – not in time and Grimshaw is into second on the throw.

Maggie Donnelly will be at the plate now. She takes the first pitch, ball one. Next pitch evens the count at a ball and a strike. Low, count 2-1. Pitch is chopped to short and the call is some sort of interference as the umpires confer. They call an out as Grimshaw is out, 6 unassisted, and the run does not score.

0 R, 2 H, 2 LOB

Top of the 2nd

W 3B stands in at the plate. First pitch is skied to second and Jacoby makes the play for the first out.

W LF comes up. Grounded fair and Fitzpatrick tags her out.

W C steps in. Pitch is outside on a checked swing. Hit to left field as Wagner gets a stand-up double.

W 1B is up at the plate. Two out. Fly ball into left, Wagner rounds third and will score on the double.

West leads 2-0

W 2B now at bat. Throw to third is not in time, count is 0-1. Chopped to third, throw to first, third out.

1 R, 2 H, 0e and 1 LOB

Bottom of the 2nd

NHP LF Gaby Morales, Arkin and Jacoby will lead off this inning. Morales takes a called strike one. Ball one is called. Hit grounded to the SS, makes the throw, one away.

Arkin makes her way to the batter's box now. 1-0 is way high. Pitch is in for strike one, 2-1. Strike two at the knees. Another grounder to the SS and there are two away.

Here's Jacoby. First pitch is high and inside. Count is 2-0 after a pitch high. Next pitch is low, 3-1. Ball four and Jacoby takes first.

Niedermeyer, the CF, is up at bat. Takes a strike. Next pitch is high, 1-1. Takes another strike at the knees, 1-2. Grounder foul down third. Offspeed pitch is a ball as Jacoby motors into second. Hit to the secondbaseman as Niedermyer hustles and beats the throw for an infield single, so runners at the corners.

Kayla Fitzpatrick will step in. Fly ball is skied to center who puts it away.

1 R, 1 H, 0 E, and 2 LOB

Top of the 3rd

W batter steps in swings an pulls the ball foul down the thirdbase line. 0-1 is low for ball one. Ward delivers and it's fouled at the plate for strike two. Pitch is skied to center and again is over the centerfielder's head for a double.

W CF is up for her second AB of the game. Pitch is fouled over to first. Bunted infront of the plate, throw to first is not in time and we have runners at the corners and no outs.

RF Pock is now batting. Grounder to the plate is in time to get the 1-2 FC out, throw to second is not in time, so one out and runners on second and third.

W pitcher is batting now, skies it to center, Niedermeyer makes the catch and throws into second for the double-play to end the inning.

0 R, 2 H, 0 E and 1 LOB

Bottom of the 3rd

Hickey will lead off for NHP. First pitch is taken for strike one. Changeup high and slapped to third for an infield single. 

Ward steps in. Fastball strike one. 1-2hopper and the secondbaseman can't make a play and you have runners on first and second with no outs.

Grimshaw will come to the plate. First pitch is outside for ball one. Strike is taken. Pitch is skied and the secondbaseman leaps and makes the play for the first out. Now they say that Hickey is out, they tag her so she must have stepped off and they got her. 

Donnelly is quickly 2-0. Pitch is down low, 3-0. There's a walk to her.

Morales will come up with runners on first and second and two out. First pitch is low. Throw to first and Donnelly quickly gets back. Pitch is outside, 2-0. Strike one is taken. Swing and a miss levels it at 2 each. Ball outside and the count goes full and the runners will be off. Grounder off the glove of the thirdbaseman and everyone is safe and the bases are loaded.

RF Arkin takes strike one. NHP will PR for Morales at first and it is Katie Tubrity. 0-1 to Arkin, chopper to the infield, thirdbaseman picks it up, over to first, not in time, run scores, bases still loaded.

West leads 2-1

Kussler will PH now. Takes the first pitch for a strike. Swing and a miss, 0-2. Pitch is low for a ball. 1-2 pitch is swung on and missed.

1 R, 2 H and 3 LOB

Top of the 4th

W batter grounds to Donnelly, over to first, one pitch, one out.

W PH steps in, it is Hega. Swing and a miss here. Bunted and retired 1-3 on the play.

W catcher Wagner up at bat. See is Ward can have an easier time of it here. Swing and a miss for strike one. Pitch is outside, levels the count at 1-1. Low for ball two. Grounder past the SS, for the single.

Swing and a strike for the next batter, throw to second and she is into second with the stolen base. 0-1 is chopped to first, 1 unassisted.

0 R, 1 H, 0 E and 1 LOB

Bottom of the 4th

CF Niedermyer will come to the plate to leadoff. Defensive substitutions at 2B and RF for the West. Changeup os low for a ball. 1-0 is bunted, retired 1-3 for the out.

Fitzpatrick up at bat now. Fly to shalow left and it drops in for a hit, throw is errant and she will go to third on the error.

Hickey now batting. Bunted to third, throws to first and is intime as the runner holds. Two outs.

Ward batting. Down low for a ball. Again low for a ball, 2-0. Fly to the outfield in left, but it's caught for the third out.

0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB

Top of the 5th

W 2B leads off. Ward is still in the circle, trailing 2-1. Swing and a miss, strike. Fly to secondbaseman, goes to right, throw just misses, safe.

W SS comes up. Grounder to third, Donnelly lifted her foot and the ball went under, going into the outfield.

Hernandez up to bat. No outs, runners at first and second. Pitch is fouled off. Bunted in front of the plate, rolls foul. 0-2 is popped up foul but they callher out as she squared to bunt the umpires say.

Next batter, a rightie, skies to right, Arkin makes the catch and runners hold. 

W pitcher is started off with a ball low and away, swing and a miss. Next pitch is high, 1-1. Swing and a miss, strike 2. Grounder into left field thr throw comes in, not in time, throw to third, not in time.

West leads 3-1

W 3B is started off with a ball, low. 1-0 grounded to second, call is that Fitzpatrick pulled her foot off the base, but Tom Donnelly is going to come out to argue the call. Not overturned and two runs will score with the runner safe at first.

West leads 5-1

We're going to have an ejection - Tom Grimshaw it looks like for the East. Back in action now. Cowley is at bat, reentered. Pitch is low and inside. Still two outs. Again is low. Ward is still in and the runner takes second. 2-0 pitch is low for ball three. Ball four so runners on first and second now.

West C Wagner steps in. She is 2-2. Grounder to third and steps on the bag.

3 R, 3 H, 1 E and 2 LOB

Bottom of the 5th

Grimshaw will lead things off for NHP. West has defensive changes at RF, CF and 2B. First pitch is outside. Count goes 2-1. Pitch is high, 3-1. And the walk is issued. PR Jacoby at first for Grimshaw.

Donnelly is at bat, takes a pitch low. 1-1 pitch is fouled back. Changeup is swing on and hit to center and the CF makes the catch for the out.

PH for NHP. Quickly 0-2. Pitch is low and inside for a ball. 1-2 pitch is low, count is even. Swing and a miss for the third strike.

Arkin is up now. Changeup hit to secondbaseman and she is retired.

0 R, 0 H and 1 LOB

Top of the 6th

NHP has changed LF. Melissa Ward is still pitching. First pitch swinging for the West, drilled into left for a single.

Swing and a miss as the runner takes off for second and makes it. 0-1 is chopped foul, count 0-2. Pitch is over the thirdbaseman's head, runner will score on the double.

West leads 6-1

W batter hits it to right and Arkin gets under it and gets the out. 

W Nahinu will reenter. The pitch is grounded back to the pitcher, makes the throw over to first for the out.

West player Pock will come up now. Grounder to third and the throw is in time.

1 R, 2 H, 0 E and 1 LOB

Bottom of the 6th

W pitcher looking to get the complete game here as NHP will send its final betters up. Jacoby will reenter. Kesler will go to first and coach in lieu of Grimshaw. Takes the first pitch for a strike. 0-1 changeup is outside. 1-1 is high, 2-1 now. Count 3-1 on the outside pitch. Called strike two now. Strike three called on outside corner, one away.

Niedermyer is 1-2 and steps in. She bunts but it goes foul at third. 0-2 pitch i and she dodges out of the way, would have hit her. Changeup drops in for a called strike. Next pitch is lined foul against the dugout. Changeup swing and a miss and the throw down to first is on target for the out.

Fitzpatrick now at the plate. Swing on the first pitch and the pitcher makes the play for the final oiut.

0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB

New Hyde Park will now move onto the 5th Place game tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. PST, 12 p.m. EST.

Once again your final score is West 6, NHP 1.