Redmond/Eastlake Little League girls wait for big show

The hardest part is the waiting.

There are 31 days in between the conclusion of the District 9 Junior Softball All-Star Tournament and the beginning of the Junior Softball World Series, and Mark Gransee's Redmond/Eastlake Little League team has nothing to do but practice, and wait. And wait. And wait.

After pounding the competition from their own district, the team is more than eager to take on the world's best.

"We're spending a lot of time getting ready," Gransee said. "We want to be competitive when we show up."

If their performance in the District 9 tournament is any indicator, the team should be well prepared to begin play in the World Series, which runs Aug. 16-22 at Everest Park in Kirkland, bringing the best Junior League softball teams from around the nation and world.

Gransee's team skated through the district tournament, defeating opponents by a margin of 29-2 and beating Sammamish 9-0 in the championship game to claim the host team representation in the World Series.

"I'm hoping that shows our potential to compete at the next level," Gransee said. "We played quite well and I'm very happy."

Gransee said he knows the play at the World Series will be on another level. Four teams, including Gransee's, have already punched their tickets to the series. ILLAM Central Little League of Makati City, Philippines, will represent the Asia Pacific Team; Latin America will be represented by ASOFEM Little League of Maunabo, Puerto Rico; and finally, the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) will be represented by Lombardia Little League in Milan, Italy.

Teams from USA East, West, Southeast, Southwest and Central, and the Canadian team will be determined in the following weeks to round out the competition.

"We expect the teams to be faster and better," Gransee said. "I think the girls have a sense of that; they have a feeling of how good the teams are going to be. We don't want to have any fear, we want to have fun and be competitive."

Gransee said his team's strength will be the ability to play all 14 players at any time in any game, something they will rely on at the series.

"Every time we get a hit or make a play, it's a different player," he said. "We have 14 players on the team and I don't hesitate getting any of them out there. The challenge is getting all 14 into the game."

The tournament begins at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 16 with pool play. Semi-finals start on Aug. 21, with the championship game, broadcasted by ESPN, played at 4 p.m. the following day.

"The girls realize it's a once in a lifetime opportunity for them," Gransee said. "We're looking forward to August and getting to play."

The U.S. West team from Pusch Ridge Little League in Oro Valley, Ariz., won the 2008 title, edging out Latin America 10-4 in the championship game.