By CT McDonald
Irmo’s juniors softball team advanced to the fourth round of pool play on Wednesday, as yet undefeated as the final round of pool play was about to get underway at Kirkland, Washington at this publication’s press time.
Standing at 3-0 after the first three rounds, Southeast (Irmo Little League’s team) was tied at 2-2 after four innings against Washington District 9 on Wednesday afternoon (EDT) in the final game of pool play. A berth in the upcoming bracket games is virtually — if not literally — assured for Southeast regardless of Wednesday’s results.
At the Little League Juniors Softball level of play, Southeast (SE) has had a couple of close wins, along with a lopsided victory. SE defeated Asia-Pacific 2-1 in the first game last Sunday, and then beat Central 6-5 on Monday. Then, on Tuesday, SE beat Canada 12-2 after scoring 7 runs in the third inning and 4 in the sixth to add to its single run scored in the first inning.
The tournament will be down to eight teams when bracket play begins today, Thursday, with those eight yet to be announced by littleleague.org at press time. The brackets will pit the four top teams by wins and losses from Pool A and Pool B.
Semifinal games will be on Friday featuring the final four teams in competition, and the World Series Championship Game will be Saturday at 2 pm PT (5 pm EDT).
The championship game is to be broadcast on ESPN 2.
Out of the 10 girls on the team eight are District Five students. Stephanie Jones (2025- Ben Lippen) , Layla Peppers (2026-Dutch Fork High), Haley Alderman (2025- Dutch Fork) , Olivia Hill (2025- Dutch Fork), Eason Davis (2025- Chapin), Allie Bickley (2025- Chapin), Reagan Haggard (2026- Chapin), Makenna Reimer (2026- Irmo), Katie-Grace Hill (2025-Dutch Fork), Eve Smither (2026- Ben Lippen). Coaches are Robert Peppers, Bryan Jones, Aaron Reimer.
