WAGS U-14 squad wraps up winning season

TALENTED BUNCH-This year's WAGS U-14 team was represented by, in the front row from left, Maija Ehlinger, Allison Martin, Jenna Blumenfeld, Kylie McNutt and Stefany Valentino. Top row: Coach Jeff Klamecki, Nicole Werdesheim, Zoey Powers, Kelli Barmasse, Brittany Oster, Shannon Kaufman and coach Stefan Valentino. Not pictured are Sammi Kraft, Ciara Zeolla and coaches Dina Barmasse and Mark Zeolla. The team finished in fifth place out of 56 teams in Aurora, Colo. The Westlake-Agoura Girls' Softball (WAGS) U-14 team recently concluded its season with an overall record of 39-9-1 and finished in fifth place nationally.

Overall, the girls won five tournament championships this season-Thousand Oaks, Placentia, Escondido and Simi Valley. In addition, they took home a district title before heading into the State Tournament.

In the State Tournament, WAGS played well enough to qualify for the National Championship in Aurora, Colo.

The National Championship was a weeklong event that pitted the squad against the best teams from Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Missouri, Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, Wyoming, California and even Alaska.

At the National Tournament the team's pitchers were Jenna Blumenfeld, Stefany Valentino and Kelli Barmasse. The three hurlers held their opponent to 40 runs in 10 games and posted a team ERA of 3.52.

WAGS' offense scored 86 runs, the most in the tournament, and was led by Barmasse and Valentino, both of whom posted batting averages of .533.

The offense was also helped by Brittany Oster (.367, one HR, 17 RBI), Shannon Kaufman (.364 BA, five doubles), Allison Martin (.355 BA, three sacrifice bunts) and Nicole Werdesheim (.290 BA, 10 RBI).

Furthermore, the team went 10-for-10 in stolen bases, led by Valentino (three) and Maija Ehlinger (two).

The girls finished in fifth place out of 56 teams in the National Championship, behind CV Synergy (Castro Valley), Poway (San Diego), Scripps Ranch (San Diego) and the Twisters (San Jose).

Information provided by Stefan Valentino