By Sean Reilly
MiaBella Escrivao may be a young player, but she has a grown-up mindset while pitching for the Nazareth Blast 10U.
When she’s inside the circle, she aims to stay composed, focus on throwing strikes and doing so fully aware there’s a trusted group of teammates ready to make plays behind her.
Escrivao capped an outstanding weekend at Diamond Nation by pitching a five-inning five-hitter, with 10 strikeouts and no walks, as the Blast beat Ascent Athlete 10U, 6-1, in the championship game of the 10U Aces Spring Invitational in Flemington.
“I just had to throw the ball, and I knew that I could do it, and that my team was behind me,” she said.
The Blast, who were the fifth seed in the 10-team field, won all three playoff games on Sunday to close out a 5-1 weekend. Three of the wins were by one run, including a 6-5 semifinal triumph over Storm Academy 10U, in which the tying and winning runs scored in the bottom of the final inning.
Escrivao started or relieved to win four of the games. Her totals for the weekend were 12 hits and four runs allowed, with 29 strikeouts and just two walks (both in the first game) over 17 innings. She was selected the 10U tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
“I had to find the right mindset,” she said. “This tournament was really good and a lot of fun. I’m very proud of myself. I like to pitch, because it’s my favorite thing.”
Escrivao was far from the only standout for the Blast.
Notable in that regard was Paige Mitchell, who singled home the winning run in the semifinals. Mitchell jumped on a 1-2 pitch in the fifth inning to secure the victory over Storm Academy. Escrivao had just tied the game on an RBI single.
Also, Maris Miller was 2-for-3 in the final, with an RBI groundout, one-run double and two-run home run.
The Blast took an early lead against Ascent Athlete in the all-Pennsylvania final.
MiaBella Escrivao of the Nazareth Blast was named 10U Finch’s Aces Spring Invitational MVP.
Makayla Vander Valk led off the bottom of the first with a bunt single. She stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Miller grounded out to shortstop.
The lead was extended to 2-0 in the third. Olivia Balas doubled with one out, and Miller followed with an RBI double to center.
Ascent Athlete, the sixth-seed, countered with a solo home run from Gianna Carmigano with one out in the top of the fourth.
The Blast closed out the game with four runs before the play clock expired during the bottom of the fifth.
Balas led off the inning with a single to shortstop, and Miller followed with a two-run home run to left field to complete her outstanding game at the plate.
“I just tried to follow through on mechanics and swing hard at the ball,” Miller said. “This was a really good weekend, getting to have fun playing softball.”
The next two batters struck out after Miller’s home run, before Kashner walked and Laney Bender singled to the pitcher. The runners advanced on a wild pitch before Brinley Swarat delivered a two-run single.
Vanderbilt Valk and Balas joined Miller in finishing 2-for-3 for the Blast.