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Bakersfield Babes up to bat for national competition
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Posted by caroline Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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1 response 0 comments Most of the summer, a girls' softball team called, “Bakersfield Babes 16-and-Under,” has been playing in central and southern California and practicing at Garces High School.

Team members are 16-and-under and played a “friendly” tournament on June 10 at the Garces High School softball field that included the Ventura Eagles, Santa Maria Streeks and Bakersfield Mustangs.

The “Babes” are an A Division travel team and have been playing to prepare for nationals. The team will be attending ASA 16-and-under Class “A” Western Nationals Aug. 1-6 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. In addition, the Babes 18-and-under team qualified for the 18-and-under Class “A” nationals, to be held over the same week in Owensboro, Kentucky.

When they were younger and just starting out, most of the girls played recreational softball with the Bakersfield Amateur Softball Association located in Northwest Bakersfield.

Tim Hernandez coaches the 16-and-under A Division travel team and is assisted by Jesse Garza and parents help out as necessary.

Hernandez has a daughter (Gabby) on the team and Garza is the JV Coach at Garces High.

John Grace, whose daughter Meghan, plays for the Babes, is the official scorekeeper.

Moms were “manning” the concession stand on June 10, including Northwest residents Randi McCormick, mother of Megan McCormick; Colleen Grace, Meghan Grace’s mother; and Liz Lindsey, Sami Lindsey’s mom.

After each game, dads pitch in by raking and cleaning up the fields in preparation for the next game. It takes a lot of parent involvement and to name them all would take more space than we have.  Suffice to say, parents are recognized and appreciated for their frequent major contributions of time, effort and money to the success of this girls’ softball team.

Funds raised from this tournament will be used to purchase equipment for the team. The Babes will also operate a fireworks booth at the Airport Drive-in (800 Norris Road) from July 1-4.

The Bakersfield Babes organization also fields teams in the 18-and-under, 14-and-under, and 12-and-under age groups. Teams play during both fall and spring/summer seasons.

Tryouts are held before each session. Upcoming tryout information will be posted on the club’s website: eteamz.active.com/BAKERSFIELDBABES/

Northwest residents who are members of the team include: Meghan Grace, Megan McCormick, Joni Lagerstrom, Shelby Alsup, Amanda Roberts, Callie McRoberts, Roxanne Barron, and Sami Lindsey. Other team members are Gabby Hernandez, Ellen Krausse, Kaila Williams, and Miranda Sawyer from Bakersfield; Chiannel Flores from Visalia; and Jesse Saaty from Ridgecrest.

The team plays from spring through the first week of August.

They are working hard to make a good showing at Nationals during the first week of August.

Good luck, girls!

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