The Junior Softball World Series (JSWS) ended in a loss for the Redmond/Eastlake All-Stars, but the chance to play against the world’s best was an opportunity of a lifetime, according to coaches and players.

Redmond/Eastlake finished the tournament in eighth place after a shortened 7-3 loss in a rematch with the Southwest team from La Grange, Tex. last Saturday at Kirkland’s Everest Park.

The local District 9 champs got to play against teams from Latin America, Canada, Florida and Texas during the week-long World Series, which was highlighted by an unforgettable 11-10 comeback win against Canada on Aug. 17.

“I’m incredibly proud,” said host team head coach Mark Gransee. “We said at the beginning of the season that we’re going to judge (our success) on two things: ‘Did we have fun, and are they better softball players?’ Clearly, we were successful with that.”

The host team’s resilience was shown in both of its games against Southwest. Redmond/Eastlake rallied from a 10-4 to cut the lead to 10-8 before being outlasted 12-8 in a loss to La Grange Aug. 19. Then during Saturday’s consolation final, Redmond/Eastlake began a rally in the top of the sixth inning with one run scored, and runners on second and third with nobody out when the game was called, 7-3, due to time constraints.

“We never quit in any game, and they held their head high,” Gransee said.

Lasting memories

The JSWS was truly a “world” series, consisting of teams that traveled from as far away as the Philippines and Italy to test their skills against all-stars from other regions.

The team from Latin America, ASOFEM Little League of Manuabo, Puerto Rico, ended up as champions for the second time in three years with a nail-biting 2-1 victory over a previously undefeated Central squad from Elyria, Ohio.

The game was televised live on ESPN Classic and will be re-aired on ESPN2 on Sept. 11.

Gransee’s team, as the tournament host, had special duties and the pride of a community on the line, which they responded to with flying colors.

“They were great hosts, did a great job welcoming the other teams, and showed a lot of character in what was a great all-star season for us,” he said.

Melissa White, who pitched in all of Redmond/Eastlake’s games during the Series, enjoyed the international flavor of the event.

“It was really fun,” she said, citing her team’s 10-run comeback against Canada as her favorite memory. “It was a good experience, seeing all the different people from all over the world.”

For Gransee, participating in the Series meant enjoying the culmination of a summer of hard work on the softball diamond.

“Every game, I just love being with them and watching them become better softball players,” he said of his team. “That’s probably my best memory, just watching how they’ve improved over the last two months.”

The tournament brought close to 7,000 people to Kirkland, with approximately 2,000 in attendance on Sunday for the consolation games and the televised championship.