Dayra Sandoval pitched a shutout and Olympian Yuruby Alicart homered in the first inning to lift Charros de Jalisco over Sultanes de Monterrey, 6-0, to become the first champions of the Mexican Softball League (LMS). The team from Guadalajara clinched the Serie de la Reina in four games and are the first-ever LMS champions.
The series started with Charros and Sultanes splitting the two games in Guadalajara, traveling to Monterrey with the series tied one each. However, Charros won back to back games at Sultanes ballpark to lift the trophy on the road.
The game marked the end of the LMS inaugural season, which will be remembered for many firsts. A total of six teams competed throughout the two-month season, with a total of 120 softballers taking part of the historic season.
“We are very happy, very grateful, thanks to the owners of the six franchises that participated in the first season, I think it was a success," said Horacio de la Vega, President of the Mexican Softball League which organised the LMS. "The truth is that there is a fan base already committed, very purposeful, the atmosphere is very familiar. It is something that we have tried to do in baseball, and we are bringing it to the softball experience."
Sandoval tossed a masterpiece, finishing her work with seven shutout innings of two hits, no walks and four strikeouts. It was her first win of the Serie de la Reina. Alicart, who played for Venezuela at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008, gave her team the early lead with a homer to center field in the first inning. The game remained 1-0 until the top of the seventh, when Charros mounted a five-run rally to secure the win.
After the game, Yeraldine Carrion was announced as the MVP of the season. She posted a 2-1 record in the final series, giving up 10 hits, five runs and 13 walks, while striking out 16 in 15.1 innings of work. She had a 2.83 ERA in the Finals. Carrion was the ace of the Mexican team at the WBSC U-19 Women's Softball World Cup 2019, helping Mexico to finish seventh.
Both the champions and the MVP trophies were made with traditional Huichol patterns, using the colours of the LMS.
