GREENVILLE, N.C.—The Guilford Little League Softball 12-year-old All-Stars almost literally stole a win in game one of its opening appearance at the 2025 Little League Softball World Series.
After Guilford took a one-run lead in the top of sixth inning on a steal of home by Michaela Mascari, the Mid-Atlantic Champs from Johnstown, PA., scored twice in home half of the inning to walk off with a 2-1 win over the New England champs.
The loss sends Guilford into the loser’s bracket, where one more loss means elimination from the tournament.
Guilford will play the loser of Monday’s Southwest (Tulsa, Okla.) vs. Southeast Region (Lake Mary, Fla.) game on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The game will again be televised by ESPN+.
The last time Guilford faced elimination in tournament play it won three straight games to win the Connecticut state title.
The game was a brilliant pitchers duel between Guilford’s Maeve Eagleson and Johnstown’s Reagan Bills.
While Bills notched 15 strikeouts against just two walks, Eagleson was perfect through 4.1 innings, finishing with a two-hitter, six strikeouts and three walks (one intentional).
In a whirlwind sixth inning, however, the game was decided.
It started when Mascari drew a walk during at-bat where she also appeared to strikeout.
With the count 1-2, Mascari checked her swing and the home plate umpire (more on him later) initially pointed at Mascari’s bat and gave a safe sign.
As the Guilford batter started getting ready for the next pitch, however, the umpire changed his call to strike three.
Guilford third base coach Kyle Eagleson came in to question the call and the four umpires got together to discuss.
In the end, the pitch was ruled a ball and Mascari got to continue her at-bat.
Four pitches later—including fouling off two pitches to stay alive—Mascari drew a walk to lead off the inning.
She stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error, giving Guilford the go-ahead run just 60 feet away with nobody out.
With one out, Mascari then stole home on a throw back to the pitcher, giving Guilford a 1-0 lead and a shot at victory.
In the bottom of the sixth, however, Johnstown struck back.
In perhaps the worst official scoring blooper of all time, Johnstown’s lead-off batter reached on an “error” that was obviously an infield hit.
With one out, another Johnstown player walked during an at-bat where ball three appeared to be an obvious strike. That base on balls put a runner in scoring position and Johnstown tied the game on the ensuing base hit.
While Guilford did get the second out at third base, the play allowed Johnstown to advance a runner to second and get into scoring position.
The Mid-Atlantic champs when walked off with another single to advance another round into the winner’s bracket.
Maya Barbarito had the lone hit for Guilford, an infield single. Shannon Winters and Mascari both walked while two other Guilford players reached on errors.
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