Three local softballers on way to All American Games

FRUITLAND, N.M.

While most girls look forward to spending time with friends, Alexis Wauneka, Rory Benally and Lanae Ben spend extra time playing softball.

All three play in local youth softball and baseball leagues and make an effort to go above and beyond. Their year-round efforts have resulted in being selected to play in the United States Specialty Sports Association Futures All American Games, which will be held July 30 to Aug. 4 in Viera, Florida.

The three will play with the Far West region team made up of 24 players that tried out for the team this past spring.

Wauneka said she’s both nervous and excited.

“It’s very exciting because it just says that you’re getting better and better each year,” she said. “I feel a little nervous meeting girls you don’t play with normally. You still have to compete against them so you get a better spot, so you can play.”

Wauneka, 12, is the veteran of the three, having been chosen to play in the tournament the last two years.

Wauneka, Benally and Ben are direct selects – players who finished in the top five players in their tryouts. According to the USSSA web site, being a direct select means they are given an automatic ticket to Florida.

Rory Benally was also selected to play in the 10-and-under division and said this is her first year being chosen and she is excited.

“I don’t know what to say, I’m just overexcited,” she said. “I worked hard everyday and in the winter I went to camp at Strike Zone.”

Benally plays for the Farmington Mayhem 10U team and has been playing softball for about five years.

Lanae Ben, 14, was selected to play in the 14U division.

Ben plays baseball for the Shiprock Angels and softball for the Kirtland Heat. But softball provides her with more opportunities.

“Softball has more opportunities because I’m not the only girl, and I have done a lot of work in baseball to get my where I am in softball now,” she said. “I’ve done all the things that I could and were able to do to get where I am in going to Florida.”

She said she’s wanted to compete in the games for some time and the right time has finally arrived.

“I was very exciting because I had tried hard and I tried as hard as I could to get to where I am now,” she said. “I’m very anxious and nervous just to see new girls and how they’ll pitch, and how they’ll do.

“I want to get better from where I am now and learn new things from other people, and get noticed by college or high school scouts,” she said.

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