Brookline Little League Association
players and fans made what has become a yearly pilgrimage to PNC Park,
this time to once again cheer on their 12-Under and 15-Under girls, both
competing for the fourth year in a row for the prestigious Pittsburgh
Citisports Mayor's Cup championship on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Among
the Brookline faithful, expectations were high for another double-repeat
championship for our local girls.
When the pleasant afternoon's games
had come to a close, Brookline's 15-Under ladies walked away with their third
title in-a-row, beating Southside by the score of 4-1. In the preceeding
contest their 12-Under younger sisters fell in the seventh and final inning,
losing a heart-breaker to Mount Washington, 8-7.
12-Under Girls 15-Under Girls
Click on images
for larger pictures.
12-Under Girls
Brookline's 12-Under team, winners of the
past three Mayor's Cup championship games, returned to PNC Park in a bid to make
it four consecutive Pittsburgh city triumphs. The girls in grey played with
determination while mounting a sixth-inning comeback and clinging to a 7-6
lead going into the final frame.
That slim, one-run advantage was the result
of a timely Bailey Exler double in the bottom half of the sixth inning. There were
two runners on, two outs, and Brookline was down 6-5. Exler's two-bagger brought
home Bailey Wyland and Maddie Woods with the go-ahead runs, setting off a frenzy
of excitement amongst the Brookline fans and players alike.
In the last inning, Mount Washington
held Brookline's bats in check, returning to the bench down one run, 7-6, with
but three outs remaining. Unfortunately for the legion of local fans, a couple
of timely hits and some speedy base-running sealed Brookline's fate. The
Mount Washington girls eeked out two runs, walking off with an 8-7 victory
and claim to the Pittsburgh Mayor's Cup championship.
At the plate, Brookline batters banged
out thirteen hits: Ava Porter (triple), Dana Jones (single, triple), Ava Swimkowsky
(double, single), Bailey Wyland (two singles), Maddie Woods (two singles), Bailey
Exler (double), Jamirah Hailsham (single), Lily Messina (single) and Liv Lander
(single). In the field, shortstop Dana Jones played well and tallied several
assists and a couple put-outs to highlight the Brookline defense.
Members of the Brookline 12U Girls
Softball Mayor's Cup Runner-Up team include: Ava Porter, Dana Jones, Ava Swimkowsky,
Bailey Wyland, Maddie Woods, Morgan Wyland, Bailey Exler, Jamirah Hailsham,
Lily Messina, Emily Messina, Liv Lander and Kamryn Woods. The coaches were
Tara Garrubba, Joelynn Jones, Carly Wyland, James Exler and
Mike Messina.
Long-Overdue
Recognition for a Legendary Coach
For Brookline's 12-Under coach Tara
Garrubba, this was her ninth appearance in the Mayor's Cup classic. Tara-led
teams have won seven times (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021) and lost
just twice (2013, 2022). At what point on a career timeline does the term
"legend" become appropriate?
It is this writer's opinion that the
honor is long overdue for this fine and well-tenured coach.
15-Under Girls
Brookline's 15-Under girls made their seventh
trip to Pittsburgh's Mayor's Cup championship game, at PNC Park on Tuesday, July 26,
2022. These Brookline ladies dispatched the girls from the Southside, by the score
of 4-1, to claim their fourth title in seven attempts.
Southside jumped off to a quick 1-0 lead in
the first inning. Brookline countered with three runs in the second off the bats of
Jayla Carrington, B.B. Stowe, Mariah Chajkowski and JuJu Zilch.
The Brookline girls extended their lead by
a run in the fourth, once again the result of big hits by Carrington and Stowe.
That three-run edge held for the remainder of the game, and Brookline once again
took their place next to the Mayor's Cup for the obligatory championship team
photo!
Brookline batters banged out eight hits:
Alaina Hogel (single), Jayla Carrington (triple, double), B.B. Stowe (double,
single), Mariah Chajkowski (single) and JuJu Zilch (single). In the field,
everyone sporting a glove contributed to a fine defensive effort.
Members of the Brookline 15U Girls
Softball Mayor's Cup Championship team include: Gabby Dietz, Jaedyn (JuJu) Zilch,
Breanna (B.B.) Stowe, Mariya Chajkowski, Cheyenne Kepler-Rose, Quinn Phinney,
Aubrey Williamson, Bri Oneil, Madison McElroy, Bailey Wyland, Alaina Hogel,
Hayley Willy, Alexa Hogel and Jayla Carrington. The coaches were Justin Dietz,
Eric Zilch, Glen Zilch and ___ Wyland.
Previous Brookline
winners include the 1995 Little League boys, the 2012 12-Under girls, the 2012 15-Under girls, the 2014 12-Under girls, the 2015 12-Under girls, the 2016 Little League boys, the 2016 12-Under girls, the 2016 18-Under girls, the 2017 18-Under girls, the 2018 12-Under girls, the 2018 18-Under girls, the 2019 Pony League boys, the 2019 Colt League boys, the 2019 Super Colt boys, the 2019 12-Under girls and the 2019 15-Under girls, the 2021 12-Under girls and the 2021 16-Under girls.
Others to reach the title game were
the 1994 Little League boys, the 2013 12-Under girls, the 2013 15-Under girls, the 2015 12-Under girls, the 2016 15-Under girls and the 2017 Little League boys, the 2018 15-Under girls, the 2018 Pony League boys, the 2018 Colt League boys and the 2019 Little League boys.
Photos provided by Clint
Burton and Sue Lucas.
