Not only did the Steal Breeze players host the party, they were an important part of the conversation.
Steal Breeze placed three of four teams in championship games of its annual Father’s Day Softball Tournament over three days at Prince Park last weekend.
The tournament, which included teams from Cupertino, Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park and other areas, featured divisions for under 8s, under 10s, under 12s and under 14s.
When things finally got down to title games Sunday evening, Steal Breeze under 8s, under 12s and under 14s were playing for titles, with the under 14s winning a championship.
Under 14s
The Steal Breeze Under 14 team dominated its age group. In elimination play, Petaluma received a first-round bye and then defeated the Pleasant Hill Panthers, 11-0, with Jamie McGaughey hitting two home runs and narrowly missing a third.
In the championship game, the Breeze backed pitcher Sophia Skubic with strong defense to win, 11-0.
After scoring two runs in its first time at bat, the Breeze broke the game open with eight runs in the second inning. McCaughey hit a triple and Karlie Berncich a double in the assault which also included hits by Skubic, Gaby Schenone, Haley Wyatt, Kylie Carlomagno and Ellie Oatman.
Wyatt capped off the championship victory with a home run in the third.
Members of the Petaluma Under 14 team are: Ashtyn Woods, Brooke Baxman, Cara Broadhead, Ellie Oatman, Gaby Schenone, Haley Goebel, Haley Wyatt, Jamie McGaughey, Kaden Brody, Karlie Berncich, Kylie Carlomagno, Mallory O’Keefe, Mia Vaughn and Sophia Skubic.
Under 12s
The Steal Breeze Under 12 Brody-?coached team played one of the most exciting championship games of the entire tournament, but fell a little short, losing to the LGCS Magic from the Los Gatos, Cupertino, Saratoga Girls Softball League, 3-1.
The game was a pitching duel between Saira Ramakrishnan from the Magic and Petaluma’s Marissa Brody.
The Magic pitcher kept the Steal Breeze batters off balance with a devastating change up, while Brody overpowered some Magic batters and relied on a strong defense to retire others.
The Steal Breeze infield was ball-proof, especially on the left-side of the infield, where Lauren Ketchu at shortstop and Alex Giacomini at third made several outstanding plays.
Members of the Steal Breeze Brody team are: Alex Giacomini, Ava Nelson, Callie Howard, Christina Bogart, Dallas Young, Hannah Edwards, Karlee Caldwell, Lauren Ketchu, Layce Carlomagno, Lily Gemma, Marissa Brody and Brittony Johnson.
On its way to the championship game, the Steal Breeze Brody team defeated the Steal Breeze Maldonado team, 9-1, in the single-elimination first round.
Members of the Steal Breeze Maldonado team are: Kaylee Caselli, Nicole DiMarco, Taylor Eaton, Lucy da Roza, Nora Grace Gonzalez, Haley Learn, Raelynn MacQuarrie, Elizabeth Maldonado, Georgia Moss, Jill Oatman, Lily Pardini and Madelyn Rynning.
Under 10s
The Steal Breeze Under 10 team lost in the first round of elimination play, 7-0, to the Alameda Blaze, the team that went on to win the tournament, defeating the Santa Rosa Red Barons, 14-6, in the championship game.
Members of the Steal Breeze Under 10 team are: Makayla Bignardi, Ava da Roza, Molly Gallagher, Olivia Goodin, Isabella Hudson, Rylee Larsen, Ameila Luna, Shelby McClain, Abigail Mcsweeney, Tatum Mullins, Veronica Nunez-Miller, Olivia Tomsky and Aubrie Zavala.
Under 8s
The Steal Breeze Under 8 team lost just one game in the tournament. That came in the championship game, where it was beaten by the Marin Tremors, 12-2.
In an earlier elimination-bracket game, the Breeze beat the Rohnert Park Rebels, 6-3.
Members of the Steal Breeze Under 8 team are: Olivia Benson, Aubrey Brody, Olivia Benson, Aubrey Brody, Taylor Byrne, Maya Donohue, Scarlette Fannin, Natalie Ketchu, Olivia Luchese, Allison Mangels, Rose Pettibone, Emma Snyder, Emma Starling, Marianne Yataco and Preslee Young.
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