The young ladies from Snohomish Little League are looking to make a push towards championship weekend at the Little League Softball World Series.
After getting thumped 14-0 in the first game of the tournament, they’re still alive in Greenville, North Carolina, thanks in part to the all-around play of standout Maddie Locke.
“It’s been so much fun. And it’s also been so cool,” says the team’s star pitcher.
“All this experience has been once in a lifetime. And it’s just me trying to take it in…it’s so much fun," Locke said.
What’s even more special is that it’s a family affair. Maddie’s dad, Drew, is an assistant coach who is thrilled for his daughter and her teammates.
“Those are the type of moments that you’re never going to forget, right? It’s really, really fun to be part of this. And it’s really special,” Drew said.
There’s also Maddie’s mom, who watches from the outfield. Danielle Lawrie is a former UW softball standout, NCAA Champion, and Olympic medalist.
“This summer’s gonna go down as one in the memory books for a long time,” Lawrie said. “The time that my husband’s getting with Maddie and this team over the course of the last couple weeks. Those are cherished memories he’s gonna have.”
However, it has been tough on parents, traveling around the country. Even though Little League takes care of players and coaches, trips cost each family about $6,000.
“We’ve done a little bit of fundraising. The community’s definitely helped out with that,” Locke said. “Supporting our families helps offset some of the costs associated with being away from home for about a month now. The community’s been all over that.”
Luckily, it’s also a double-elimination tournament. The loss to Florida was followed by back-to-back wins. Beating Texas on Tuesday, before ousting the Canadians yesterday.
Which sets up another showdown with Florida.
The young ladies from Snohomish can avenge their tournament-opening loss to the team from Lake Mary, Florida, who lost for the first time to the hosts from North Carolina.
A win would advance Washington to Saturday’s semifinal.
First pitch gets going at noon tomorrow.
If you’d like to help them with travel expenses, a GoFundMe has been set up.
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