Flagstaff Girls Softball Little League reaches district finals with a dominant win | Local

Flagstaff’s Summer Rhodes (13) celebrates a batting home run during a Little League softball game against Silver Creek on Thursday night in Flagstaff.

Flagstaff’s Nora Kennelly, 23, prepares to mark a Silver Creek base runner during a little league competition between softball clubs in Flagstaff on Thursday.

Flagstaff first baseman Ryleigh Alex (11) reaches for the ball on Thursday.

ERIC NEWMAN Sun Sports Editor

The Flagstaff Girls Softball Little League Majors All-Stars took the penultimate step towards a district title on Thursday night, defeating Silver Creek 10-0 in four innings in the semi-finals of the Arizona District 1 tournament at Continental Park in Flagstaff.

The winner of the game would advance to the final of the double elimination tournament, while the loser would have to play Page in the losing group to fight his way back to Saturday’s championship game.

It seemed early on that the game might be a pitcher’s duel. Both teams got a runner on base in the first inning, but neither team at the top of the line-up was in real danger of scoring a goal. Flagstaff’s pitcher allowed a walk down the inning and then knocked out three consecutive batter. Previously, the Silver Creek pitcher made the Flagstaff batter sweat with their high looping switch.

“We had to make some adjustments to this jug. We expected that they would bring someone who would throw a lot faster. She threw a little slower and that threw our clubs off early, ”said Flagstaff manager John Kennelly.

Then Flagstaff grabbed the pitcher, swung less on high balls and drew walks. Norah Kennelly had base on balls, stole second and third base on two wild pitches, and scored the first run of the game. Flagstaff knocked out of order from there, and a two-run home run in the park climbed the sixth and seventh runs to take a 7-0 lead after the top of the second inning.