Cape hosts regional softball
The Cape Coral Softball Junior League All-Star team is unlike the other six teams set to compete this weekend in the Southeast Regional Tournament.
Cape received a bye through the various levels of qualifying and is the host district team when pool play begins Saturday at Fleishman Park in Fort Myers.
At stake is a berth in the Junior League Softball World Series against a group of state championship teams from six states, including one from Tampa.
“We got a free ride all the way there,” said Cape manager Bob Nuccio, “so we’re probably a little bit of an underdog.”
Despite receiving the automatic bid, the Cape squad is looking to do more than just show up.
The team, which was selected in mid-June, is made up of 13 of the top girls ages 13-14 from Burton Field. Many of them have played together the past two years on successful all-star teams.
Two years ago as an 11-strong team, they placed second in the state, and last year finished in the top four in the state in a deep Little League (11-12) division.
The Junior League All-Star team members are: Morgan Cole, Emily England, Tori Fields, Sami Fisher, Mallory Gerrero, Kaitlynn Grubb, Alyssa Langdale, Jessica Nuccio, Madelynne Peres, Amber Plaza, Myranda Reed, Nykol Smith and Meghan Sullivan.
Veteran coaches Pablo Plaza and Chris England join Nuccio.
“These girls have played together almost three years now,” Nuccio said. “There have been a couple added here and there, but it’s been the same core of girls. I think we have the best team we can put together to be a host team.”
Rather than just practicing for the past two months in preparation for the Southeast Regional, the Cape squad has remained sharp by playing travel tournaments.
They won a four-team NSA tournament in Fort Myers last weekend, and another recently in Tampa.
Still, the Cape team is ready to test themselves at the Southeast Regional. They play their first pool play game Saturday at 10 a.m. against state champion Columbus, Ga., at Fleishman Park.
Cape’s second pool play game is Monday at 5 p.m. against North Carolina. The top two teams from that three-team pool advance to the semifinals on Tuesday.
The championship game is Wednesday with a trip to the Junior League Softball World Series in Kirkland, Wash., on the line.
“We’re all excited and ready,” said catcher Amber Plaza. “We just want to go out there and show them what we got.”
This is the ninth year Fort Myers American Little League is the site for the regional event. In the past, the bracket consisted strictly of state championship qualifying teams, but this year a spot opened up for a host district squad.
Fort Myers American Little League president Donny Overholser, who is in his 39th year, said the cost of providing rooms and food for each team, prevents the league from bringing in a significant profit from the event.
He added, though, that the league is fortunate enough to have the financial resources to provide rooms for the teams and umpires traveling in from out of town. It’s also made possible by a huge amount of volunteer support.
“We don’t do it to enrich ourselves,” Overholser said. “We feel if you have the potential to do it, you have to step up and host these things.”
A dinner banquet is slated for Friday evening at Bishop Verot High School, followed by opening ceremonies and fireworks at Fleishman Park.
Each team will parade around the field carrying their state flag during the opening ceremony. The games begin Saturday morning.