HOW I SEE IT: Senior softball all-stars played with heart

Culpeper Little League’s senior softball all-star team competed in the Virginia Little League state softball tournament this past weekend.

The team consisted of Courtney Shanks, Brittney Wright, Lesley Waller, Libby Brown, Nicki Wright, Kara Kershner, Miaisha Jackson, Randi Mauck, Tierra Jackson, Cierra Jackson, Taylor Shanks, Miranda Cropp, Kara Cuccherini and Katrina Wright.

These girls played with so much heart and determination.  Their first game was Saturday against District 3 Frederick County Little League; the game went 8 innings with a 4-3 loss.

Game 2 was on Sunday against Wilson Little League, and we won 11-0. Game 3 began immediately afterward against Tuckahoe Little League, and it was one of the most heart-wrenching, confusing games I have ever witnessed. It featured an umpire’s call that I still do not understand and a few untimely errors, and the team had to wait out a lightning delay for about 45 minutes in the sixth inning.
Tuckahoe ultimately won 5-3.

This team played with a gamut of emotions: excitement, disappointment, jubilation, anger and heartbreak.

Culpeper should be proud.

I did not get stats, so I can’t say with complete accuracy the pitching stats, ERAs, RBIs and errors and who scored how many runs, so I will not even attempt to do that. But what I would like to say is the whole team played to win every game; they stepped on the field to play.

I would like to single out one player, Courtney Shanks, playing her last year of eligibility for Little League. She stepped in and played a position she was not familiar with playing, and that was catcher.
Way to go Courtney. You did a great job!

To the coaching staff of Gary Wright, Tom Cuccherini and Lonnie Myers: Thank you for the countless hours you gave.

To Earl Mills, the manager of Culpeper Little League senior softball: Thank you for giving of your time so freely. You have my uppermost respect for all you do for Culpeper Little League. With no children of your own on this team and the many others you have coached through the years, your volunteerism is so appreciated.

To the Mills family: Thank you for sharing Earl with us! Earl Mills shares the wins and the losses with every player he coaches, and the losses are harder on him than the players, I would guess to say.

To all the teams that competed in district tournament play, the players who played in the July Fourth exhibition games and all the coaches and volunteers that make this all happen: Thank you!