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The WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup.2025 ground crew in Caronno Pertusella no longer knew their priorities. They knew how tight a schedule with four games on the same field can become when extra innings happen, but they didn’t feel like spoiling the legitimate joy of the Spanish players, who were running and jumping all over the place after they defeated American Samoa, 7-6 in eight innings, to celebrate the programme’s first win in a WBSC U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup.
“Now that I think of it, it is the first time Spain participates in a U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup. So this is Spain’s first World Cup win [at this level],” head coach Lily Ostermin commented minutes after the game. “It was a very hard game, but a wonderful game,” she added with a smile.
Ostermin said during a pre-tournament media gathering that she is aware there are better teams, but that Spain, ranked 13th in the world, won’t renounce competing.
“This win will change our minds. We had never competed at this level, so the players were unsure about what they could accomplish. This win will help them understand that by working hard and helping one another, we can achieve.”
Right-hander Lakhsmy Alonso took over for team captain Alicia Huerga as pitcher with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. She got the third out at home to send the game to extra innings.
“Pitching in that situation was a lot of stress,” Alonso commented. “I had a lot of pressure getting the ball in the seventh. At the same time, I wanted to help the team so bad. Fortunately enough, I could keep pressure under control and lead my team to the win.”
Alonso began playing softball at a young age. “I loved the game from the start. I would love to make a living out of softball. If I get the chance, I want to take it as far as possible.”
In her view, Spain has a lot to do in this World Cup. “Our goal is to arrive as high as possible. I want to do my best to take Spain to the best position possible.”
Shortstop Carla San Miguel was also in the middle of the action. After Spain had tied the game at four in the top of the sixth, American Samoa, who are ranked 64th in the world, loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half of the frame. San Miguel got to Allison Jennings’ liner up the middle and caught the runner at second base.
“I think that double play was a game changer, San Miguel said. “We had one out and the bases loaded. We had just tied the game at four, and preventing them from scoring in that situation totally changed the game’s outcome.”
San Miguel, who started playing baseball as a six year old in Pamplona before switching to softball five years ago, is looking forward to more exciting experiences like the win again America Samoa. “I expected a tough competition, and I’m aware we will face excellent, hard-throwing pitchers when we play the best teams. This win was only a start. We will see.”
The win will go in Spanish softball’s history books and the memory won’t fade for those parents who turned into a raucous crowd at the Francesco Nespoli Stadium in Caronno Pertusella.
