The Willcox softball team’s historic run in the Little League World Series has come to an end.
Willcox, the West Region winner, lost 5-2 to Asia-Pacific Region winner Negros Occidental Little League of the Philippines on Thursday in Greenville, North Carolina. The game was postponed three times this week because of severe weather caused by the remnants of Hurricane Debby, which passed through the region.
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Willcox, from the southeastern Arizona city of about 3,000 people, won its first game of the tournament in dominant fashion on Sunday but lost in its next game on Monday, sending Willcox to the elimination round, meaning it had to win or go home.
Willcox got on the scoreboard in the first inning on Thursday when Josey Benavides walked and Hattie Macumber hit an RBI double to get the team going. Both Benavides and Macumber scored in that inning, but that was about all the points for Willcox.
Lily Williams was the starting pitcher for Willcox, a departure from the team’s starting pitcher, Macumber, who set a record by striking out 15 batters in the first game of the tournament.
Williams allowed four hits and all five runs in just over three innings and managed four strikeouts. Willcox then called Macumber to the mound. She allowed one more run in the remaining two innings, allowing just two hits and managing five strikeouts.
