Scotts Valley Girls Softball league has closed the book on another memorable season filled with championships and dramatic finishes.
The headline story belonged to the Senior Division Banshees, who completed a remarkable undefeated season. The team finished 12-0 in league play before adding a perfect 3-0 record in the postseason tournament to capture the championship.
The Banshees combined explosive offense with dominant pitching throughout the season. Seventh-grader Libby Torres of Baymonte, seventh-grader Charlotte Sklar of Scotts Valley Middle School and sixth-grader Charlotte Ducharme of Scotts Valley Middle School led the attack, posting batting averages of .656, .619 and .609, respectively.
In the circle, standout pitchers Keilani Kim, a fifth-grader from Brook Knoll Elementary playing up in the Senior Division for the first time, and seventh-grader Delanie Sugarman helped anchor a defense that consistently shut down opponents.
For Torres, who has been playing softball since she was 5 years old, the season’s most unforgettable moment came during the league’s annual All-Star Showcase.
“Participating in the All-Star Showcase under the lights at Siltanen was memorable,” she said, “especially being able to score the winning run in the championship game.”
That game provided one of the season’s most thrilling moments.
On May 15, top players from Scotts Valley, San Lorenzo Valley and Santa Cruz gathered for the annual 14U All-Star Showcase. The event featured two three-inning mini-games designed to celebrate local talent and provide players one final opportunity to compete together before the season ended.
The final game seemed all but over when Scotts Valley entered the bottom of the last inning trailing Cabrillo 4-2 with two outs already recorded.
Then came the rally.
Wynona Bredthauer drew a walk. Jillian Chuan followed with another. Torres lined a shot down the right-field line to load the bases, bringing Sklar to the plate with the game hanging in the balance.
After a Cabrillo timeout, Sklar delivered the decisive blow, driving a hard ground ball into left-center field for a bases-clearing double. The crowd erupted as Torres crossed home plate with the winning run.
The excitement wasn’t quite finished. Moments later, Callie Arenas lined a shot into left-center field that scored Sklar and capped a dramatic 6-4 victory.
Every player on Scotts Valley’s 12-player All-Star roster contributed during the comeback.
“This game was a reminder to these young athletes to play hard, trust their teammates, and never give up until the last out is recorded,” said coach Mandy Draper. “I am so proud of all of them.”
While the Senior Division grabbed headlines, the Junior Division Lucky Clovers assembled a championship season of their own.
The team posted a 16-4 overall record, outscoring opponents 154-98 and finishing first in league play before winning the postseason tournament.
Their toughest challenge came against the defending champion Banshees, their longtime rivals. To claim the title, the Lucky Clovers had to defeat the Banshees in back-to-back postseason contests, including a nail-biting 7-6 victory in the championship game.
Offensively, the team was powered by fifth-graders Gaby Torres, Eden Bostock and Harper Anderlite, who posted batting averages of .733, .650 and .567. Torres and Bostock also shared pitching duties, combining for 65 innings in the circle.
For Bostock, the season’s success was especially meaningful.
“I didn’t think my dad and Dave would have a team this year,” she said. “I am so glad they did so they could coach, and I could play with Gaby. It felt great winning both the league and the tournament.”
Torres shared similar sentiments.
“It was fun playing with my dad and Josh again, meeting new girls, and winning after losing the tournament last year,” she said.
The championship carried extra significance for coaches Josh Bostock and Dave Torres, who are uncertain whether they will return next season.
“I don’t know if we will coach again,” Bostock said. “So it was nice this year to go out with our swan song and win both the league and avenge last year’s loss in the end-of-season tournament.”
Meanwhile, in the Ponytail Division, the Sluggers completed a perfect season, winning both the regular-season and tournament championships without suffering a loss.
Players credited their success not only to strong play but to the friendships they built along the way.
“Winning, making friends, and having fun,” said Bella Runo, when asked what made the team special.
Olivia Jones agreed.
“We all had fun together and never lost,” she said.
Several players pointed to the skills they learned throughout the season. Adeline Beaty and Avett Hanson both cited improvements in their batting stance, while Emmaleen Morris said she learned “pitching, batting, everything.” Kinsley Souza added that she learned proper pitching form and “never giving up.”
First-year coach Chris Runo believes the team’s chemistry made all the difference.
“The girls all bonded early,” he said. “They encouraged each other from the start, and all of them had great attitudes and were very open to being coached.”
For young athletes considering softball, Runo offered simple advice: work hard, listen to coaches, make friends and have fun.
To learn more about Scotts Valley Girls Softball, or to join the fun, visit the website svgsoftball.com.
