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LA VERNE (CNS) - The all-star team from the La Verne Little League will try to avoid elimination Thursday when it faces its counterpart from the Issaquah Little League of Issaquah, Washington in the Little League Softball World Series.
La Verne was relegated to the elimination bracket in the modified double-elimination tournament in Greenville, North Carolina after losing 6-1 Wednesday to the all-star team from the Chesterfield Little League of Chesterfield, Virginia.
La Verne was limited to three singles by Kaylee Hodges, who struck out 11 and did not walk a batter in the six-inning game.
Chesterfield, the Southeast Region champion, combined a walk, a single, two errors for two runs in the top of the first inning in the winner's bracket second-round game.
Chesterfield increased its lead to 3-0 in the third inning when Aaliyah Myers led off with a single, advanced to third on Katie Coldiron's wild pitch and scored on Hodges' one-out single.
Chesterfield sent eight batters to the plate in the fourth inning and scored three runs. Amelia McCovick led off with a walk, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on Gigi Caranate's double. Caranate stole third and scored on a wild pitch.
Kammie Walter reached first one out later when La Verne shortstop Ryan Torres committed an error on her ground ball. Myers, the next batter, doubled in Walter.
La Verne, the West Region champion, scored in its half of the fourth inning. Pinch-hitter Zoey Colburn singled with one out, moved to second on Torres' ground out, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Chesterfield catcher Isabella Viruet dropped a third strike which would have ended the inning and was charged with a passed ball.
Sofia Ayaberrano hit an infield single after Bailey Osborne reached first on the passed ball to give La Verne runners on first and second with two outs, but Hodges ended the inning by striking out Erin Garcia.
Laila Washington singled with one out in the sixth inning for La Verne's other hit.
Coldiron allowed six hits -- four singles and two doubles -- struck out 11 and walked four in six innings.
Thursday's game is set to begin at 10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Issaquah, the Northwest Region champion, lost its tournament opener to the all-star team from the Midway Little League of Hewitt, Texas, the Southwest Region champion, 13-4, Tuesday.
La Verne opened play in the 12-team tournament Tuesday with a 9-2 victory over the all-star team from the Pitt County Girls Softball Little League of Winterville, North Carolina, the North Carolina champion which earned a spot in the tournament as the host region champion.