Mike SciaccaA historic Fourth of July weekend...

Mike Sciacca

A historic Fourth of July weekend for the Huntington Beach Girls

Softball 12-and-Under All-Star team has led the team to its

first-ever appearance in an All-Star national tournament.

The squad, known as Surf ‘N Softball, currently is competing at

the Western National Championships in Roseville, Calif., having

gained a ticket to the double-elimination tournament by securing an

automatic bid following a strong showing at the state tournament

played in Lancaster Fourth of July weekend.

Victories over Vista (2-1), Hart (4-0) and Lake Elsinore (9-2) put

Surf ‘N Sport into the tournament’s semifinal round and gave the team

a berth in the national tournament.

It is the first time at any level that a Huntington Beach Girls

Softball All-Star team has qualified for the national tournament,

said Herb Cuadras, manager of Surf ‘N Softball.

“We have a really good team on our hands but didn’t really expect

to make it this far,” Cuadras said. “At district, we were just hoping

to make it to state. None of our predecessors had been here before,

so now, this is all gravy.”

Surf ‘N Softball placed third at the Central District tournament

held at Rancho Trabuco prior to becoming a semifinalist at the state

tournament.

The team is one of six to represent California in a national

tournament expected to draw more than 50 teams, Cuadras said.

“The best thing is that I get to spend a whole week with 12 of my

best friends,” first baseman Cristina Kuehn said of the trip to

nationals. “I think our team has a good chance to do well as long as

we work hard and stay focused.

“This is the best All-Star team I’ve been on.”

Cuadras agrees Surf ‘N Sport has a “certain spark.”

“There is a special cohesiveness among these girls,” Cuadras said.

“They play so well together. When they come ready to play, they feed

off each other. No one player wants to let the other down.”

The girls banned together when teammate Erika Congelliere suffered

a broken ankle at the conclusion of the first game during Central

District play.

Congelliere, a starting third baseman who hits third in the

rotation, suffered a broken her right ankle in three places during

postgame sprints, Cuadras said.

The loss could have been devastating, Cuadras said, but her

teammates have responded.

“When we lost Erika, a lot of people were thinking, ‘what now?’,”

he said. “Erika was a key infielder who carried a big bat on offense

and replacing her would be a challenge. Not only that, but her injury

came at an important stage of the season.”

But Cuadras’ concerns were relaxed when Alex Iorfino was moved

from left field to fill in at third base.

Iorfino, who told her manager she had played third base on one

previous occasion, smiled and said, ‘I can do it,” Cuadras recalled.

And, she’s done it.

“Alex has really risen to the occasion,” he said. “She’s just been

terrific.”

The team has begun each subsequent tournament game with the chant,

‘Let’s do it for Erika,’ Cuadras said.

Surf ‘N Softball has reached Roseville via the pitching of Taysia

Kaufman and Kellie Cuadras, the manager’s daughter.

The two right-handers have pitched every postseason game leading

up to the national tournament, with Amy Nunez, whom Cuadras said has

a “big arm and a lot of confidence,” catching all but one game.

“Taysia is just a very controlled pitcher out there,” he said.

“She possesses a riser that jumps really well and a great curve ball.

She just has good ball placement.

“Kellie’s got a fastball that’s pretty consistent at 50 miles per

hour. She has good placement, a good drop and drop curve and a

change-up that when it’s on, it’s beautiful.”

Surf ‘N Softball’s roster also is comprised of Taryn Devich, Brook

Hitchcock, Kendall Kraiss, Alex McCollum, Kristin Mendez, Mariah

Nogueira, Jenny Pilecki, Rebecca Sass and coach Rudy Sass.

Opening ceremonies for the Western National Championships were

Monday.

Each team was to play two games in pool play before beginning

double-elimination competition, all leading up to Sunday’s

championship game.

“Most of the time during pregame warmups I can tell when we will

do well or struggle on a particular game day,” Herb Cuadras said.

“That’s how so together these girls are as a group.

“Right now, we are just eating this up, heading to nationals.

We’re ready to go to Roseville and have a lot of fun.”

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports and features. He can be reached at

(714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.