A first for Steal Breeze softball: A Western National championship

A determined team of young Petaluma teens made local softball history by becoming the first Steal Breeze team to win a USA Western Nationals Tournament championship. Playing in the Class B division, the Petaluma team swept through five bracket games undefeated, beating the Goleta Thunder from the Santa Barbara area 12-5 in the championship game.

The champion 14-under team is coached by Billy Brody and Jeff Ketchu with help from assistants Kevin Carlomagno and Danny Gemma.

Not only did the Petaluma girls prove unbeatable in bracket play, but also heat resistant, playing eight games in 100-degree weather for almost a full week of pressure softball competition.

“We had 12 girls who were playing not only for the name on the front of their jerseys, but also for the entire Steal Breeze organization,” said Brody.

“There wasn’t a player who didn’t contribute, and we had great support from our parents, grandparents and the entire organization.”

Steal Breeze started the tournament slowly, winning just one of three pool games.

The Petaluma team won its first pool game, defeating TGSL from Torrence 8-0. Marissa Brody pitched a five-inning no-hitter, striking out 10. Layce Carlomagno led the Breeze offense with two RBI with Hannah Edwards and Alex Giacomini also driving in runs.

Then came trouble with a 5-2 loss to the Thunder, a team the Steal Breeze would meet twice again before the tournament was over. Brittony Johnson pitched well for Petaluma, but received little support, with her team getting just three hits.

The Breeze’s final pool opponent was Huntington Beach and also resulted in a loss, this one by a 3-1 score. Again Steal Breeze received strong pitching with Brody striking out 10, but little offense. Dallas Young tripled and scored the only Breeze run.

Bracket play started with another match against the Storm, another team from Goleta, and the Petalumans had their bats working, pounding out a 13-1 win. Lily Gemma led the way with two hits and four RBI. Karlee Caldwell was 3-for-3 and drove home two runs. Edwards and Haley Learn also had big hits. Johnson pitched five strong innings, allowing five hits with four strikeouts.

Brody was back in the circle and back on her game in a 17-3 win over the Oregon Blaze. The pitcher gave up just one hit over four innings. Gemma led a big batting splurge with three hits, while Lauren Ketchu had a hit and knocked in a run, Brody drove home four runs with two hits, Young had two hits and two RBI, Carlomagno batted in two runs, Alex Giacomini chased in three runs on a pair of hits, Karlee Caldwell knocked in two runs and Johnson had a hit.

Brody allowed Clairemont just one hit in five innings in a 9-2 Steal Breeze win. Giacomini had a hot bat game with a 4-for-4 performance that included a home run. Gemma also had four hits, while Ketchu had two hits and Brody and Ava Nelson one each.

The Thunder tried to make it two in a row over the Breeze, but this time it was a different story, with the Petaluma team prevailing 6-1 as Brody allow just four hits over six innings with five strikeouts. Caldwell paced the Steal Breeze, adding two hits and driving in a run. Christina Bogart also drove in one run, and Carlomagno and Edwards supplied key hits.

Standing between Petaluma and the championship game was Huntington Beach. But the Breeze was again strong at the plate, rapping 13 hits with Ketchu contributing three, with Dallas Young and Caldwell each driving in two runs and Gemma and Brody each delivering a run. Brody allowed just four hits over seven innings.

That set up another game against the Thunder for the tournament championship. This time, it was Johnson who did the pitching, scattering eight hits over seven innings in a 12-5 Steal Breeze victory. Young ripped four hits with three RBI to lead the champions, with Ketchu adding three hits and an RBI and Gemma and Giacomini two hits each. Learn scored a run.

“This was a great accomplishment for the girls,” said Coach Brody. “Most of the girls have been playing travel ball since they were 7 years old. For four of the girls – Marissa Brody, Hannah Edwards, Christina Bogart and Karlee Caldwell – it was special because it might be their last year playing together as they move out of the age group.”

For the season, the Steal Breeze under-14 team played six tournaments, taking two firsts and two seconds, along with a Western National championship.