Consecutive losses stunt Burbank Junior softball’s run
Unstoppable through two rounds of postseason play, the Burbank Junior Little League All-Stars softball team saw its title chances end in one day.
The Media City squad dropped two games in Friday’s West Region Tournament at Arthur Pack Regional Park in Tucson, Ariz.
Burbank, representing Southern California, was ousted from the upper bracket of the tournament after a 5-2 loss to Arizona representative Apache Junction on Friday afternoon.
The loss came on the heels of a 7-1 setback to Utah Cedar American Little League on Friday morning.
Burbank is now in the consolation bracket and will play Sunday at 7:30 p.m. against a team to be determined.
The drop down to the consolation bracket did not come without some lament.
“We’re a Jekyll and Hyde team and this weekend, only Hyde came out and it just didn’t work out,” Burbank coach Rocco Buffolino said. “Nothing worked. It was just the little stuff that killed us. We had mental mistakes, we didn’t cover bases, we weren’t diving for balls, not fielding bunts. I don’t know what to say, we just didn’t play.”
Burbank dialed up the heroics perfectly in the top of the sixth down, 2-1, to Apache Junction.
With one out, Annie Buffolino singled and scored on a double from Melissa Orozco as Burbank knotted the game at 2.
The good vibrations were short-lived, however, as Apache Junction rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-2 lead.
A deflated Burbank had no answers in the top of the seventh in going down to defeat.
Burbank opened Friday’s second game with some momentum as it took a 1-0 advantage after one inning.
Annie Buffolino singled, stole second and scored on a single from Makenna Palamara.
The lead remained until the bottom of the fourth, when Apache Junction plated two runs to take a 2-1 advantage that stayed the same until the sixth.
Burbank starting pitcher Kim Rudder turned in a quality effort, allowing five runs (three earned) on nine hits in six innings with a pair of strikeouts.
Previous to the 5-2 defeat, Burbank was stymied in a 7-1 loss to Cedar American.
Annie Buffolino singled home Memorie Munoz, who was hit by a pitch and stole second, in the top of the third inning to tie the game at 1.
Cedar American immediately responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning and eventually plated six unanswered scores.
Buffolino tossed four innings and struck out six batters.
As a team, Burbank was held to only four hits in a contest that was rescheduled to Friday morning at 9. The game was initially to be played Thursday evening, but was rained out and postponed until the following day.
“When you’re held to only four hits, what else can be said?” Rocco Buffolino asked.
Burbank, the District 16 representative, entered the tournament on fire with a 5-0 record following Section 2 and Division State championship crowns. During that span, Burbank outscored its opponents, 47-12.
Twitter: @campadresports
