CLCF-CWLL softball headed to Little League World Series

The CLCF-CWLL Gals 12-U softball team is headed to the Little League World Series after cruising through the New England Regional Tournament last week in Bristol, Conn.

After taking home blowout wins in the opening two games of the tournament, the Gals had their backs against the wall in the semifinals as they trailed Massachusetts 5-2 heading into the fifth inning.

The club responded by rallying for four runs in the fifth and closing the door successfully in the sixth to clinch a spot in the championship game. After tying the score at 5-5, Alexa Okolowitcz would knock in Isabella Marcano for the game-winner.

“My dad always tells me to go out there and drive the ball and I was just thinking about that, that’s where my head was at,” said Okolowitcz.

The good times continued to roll in the finals against Connecticut, as CLCF-CWLL jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back as it rolled to the 6-3 win and clinched a spot in the World Series.

“It’s a great feeling, the kids have been working really hard for this. This has been one of our goals the past couple of years and we’re very excited that it happened for this particular group of girls. Our girls are ready,” said Gals manager Lalo Marcano. “They’re ready for these types of fights.”

It is the first time since 2015 that a Rhode Island team won the New England region. The last time a Rhode Island team went on to win the World Series was in1979 when North Providence West got the job done.

“It’s really exciting and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Our team did a really good job, it was a team effort,” said Okolowitcz.

Okolowitcz and Isabella Marcano were the heroes against Massachusetts as they combined for five hits and three runs. Isabella Marcano drove in two more runs in the final against Connecticut while Ella Lamarre also knocked in a pair.

The fifth inning against Massachusetts was a turning point - and a wake up call - for the team, according to Lalo Marcano.

“The message was simple: We can’t let this game get away. We fell asleep a little bit after the first two games, but our team is relentless. We know how to play, we know how to play these games, we have the players that can do it. Our girls are prepared to play under pressure. We picked it up midway through the game and they came through at the right time,” Lalo Marcano said.

Although the CLCF-CWLL bats stole the show throughout the tournament, the team’s pitching and fielding was equally as dominant. Isabella Marcano and Olivia Graziano provided the pool’s best 1-2 punch in the circle, while the team only committed two errors in the final two games in the field.

The team will need contributions from all three phases to compete on the world’s biggest stage.

“We expect to compete. We’re a good team, we’re a complete team. We’ve got pitching, we can field and we hit the ball. We have speed on the bases. We can compete, so the outcome is going to depend on the girls. I’m confident that we have a team that is going to be right there,” Lalo Marcano said.

“To build a successful team, you need pitching, defense and hitting. When you look at the roster, we have two extremely strong pitchers in Izzy Marcano and Olivia Graziano. We had some incredible bats staying hot and giving us some hits in big spots. Alexa Okolowitcz, Ella Lamarre, Lawson Bastia, these girls just continued to hit the ball,” added CLCF-CWLL softball president Patrick Sweeney.

CLCF and CWLL merged softball leagues in 2019 and have since worked to build a powerhouse in the state. The 10-U club just won its fourth-straight state championship, and the league is beginning to see its feeder system settling into place.

“This league has been working hard for the past three, four years to rebuild its program. Patrick Sweeney put his trust in this coaching staff to lead the rebuild, and for that, we’re grateful. The families are also very grateful and we expect to continue to compete at every level moving forward,” said Lalo Marcano.

Sweeney was excited to see this group of all-stars earn a spot in the World Series, as it has been perhaps the most foundational group the league has had.

“We’re ecstatic for this group of girls. To see all that work they put into it come to fruition, we’re excited for them. The excitement with the parents, coaches and team was palpable in Bristol and seeing Izzy throwing that last strike was not only a testament to the girls, but to the coaches and their commitment and time they put in for the girls,” said Sweeney.

Sweeney is also thrilled to see the girls cement Cranston’s place atop the local softball mountain.

“We’re not done yet, we’ve got some more work to do, but softball in Rhode Island runs through Cranston,” said Sweeney