The Tracy Titans 16-and-under team went 6-1 this week to win the National Softball Association Western World Series, played from July 18 to 21 in Elk Grove.

The Titans, playing in the 16A-18 division, went undefeated all the way to the championship game, including a 4-0 win over the Reno Blackjacks and an 8-7 win over the California Crushers in pool play Monday, July 18, to gain the top seed going into the double-elimination bracket.

The Titans opened bracket play with a 4-0 win over Dynasty Central on Tuesday afternoon and beat Porterville Magic, 2-1, on Tuesday night to make Wednesday’s semifinal game against Mayhem Fastpitch. The Titans won it 6-4, and Mayhem won its losers bracket game against Porterville and then came back to beat Tracy in the championship game, 9-5, to force a second championship game.

The Titans won the final 7-5 after coming from behind. Mayhem had a 2-1 lead after the first inning, and both teams scored in the second to make it 4-3. Tayler Misfeldt relieved starting pitcher Julia Fernandez in the third and gave up one unearned run to make it a 5-3 game in Mayhem’s favor going into the sixth inning.

The Titans tied it up when Gabbi Cox hit a two-RBI double, and Taylor Honnoll tripled to put Tracy ahead 7-5.

Fernandez pitched for the Titans for most of the tournament, going 5-0 and striking out 25 batters in all, and she allowed only one earned run in those five games. She also batted .500 and scored eight runs.

Misfeldt got the win in the championship game, and she also batted .428 and scored eight runs. Other leading batters included Cox, who batted .388; Katie Hanville, batting .375; and Angelique Vega, .363.

Head coach Ray Misfeldt noted that the same group of girls was also the United State Specialty Sports Association Western World Series champions in 2009. Most played for Kimball High’s varsity and junior varsity teams this spring. The Titans team also includes players from Tracy and West high teams.

Other team members are Montanna Bradley, Justina Farfan, Taylor Vernon, Samantha Sanders, Rae Smiley and Natasha Bartolome.

Titans 10U

The Tracy Titans 10U team finished in second place in the National Softball Association Western World Series this week, July 18 to 20, in Sacramento.

The Titans went 4-3 for the tournament, starting with an 11-3 loss to California Breeze in the first game of pool play, followed by a 21-0 win over the Bakersfield Rebels, both on Monday.

In double elimination bracket play the Titans beat Velocity 13-7 on Tuesday morning and followed with a 7-3 win over Foothill Gold on Tuesday afternoon. The Titans faced California Breeze again on Wednesday morning for a 17-2 loss, followed with a 9-3 win over Foothill Gold in the elimination bracket, and then lost 14-7 to California Breeze in Wednesday afternoon’s final.

Titans player Payton West was named the tournament’s most inspirational player. She kept her team in the championship game with a grand slam home run in the second inning, which brought the Titans from behind to tie it up. California Breeze followed with a seven-run rally in the top of the third to take back the lead. West went three-for-three in the game and batted in five runs. Mila Rodriguez also had a hit and batted in two runs for the Titans, and Lyndsey Widner, Sydney Vernon, Grace Hosman and Isa Cargill also had hits.

Karina Faasisila pitched for the Titans for most of the tournament, and Alex Naraval, Hosman and Cargil also pitched. Other Titans players include Emily Yanke, Madison Sanders, Megan Chambers, and Katie Chambers. Coaches include Tony Fernandez, Derek West and Joel Cargil.