The Madera Lady Canes Softball 16 & under softball team defied the odds again last weekend and qualified for the ASA "A" softball Nationals to be in Sioux Falls, S.D., from July 26 to Aug. 2.

The team competed in the Central California ASA Championships at Buchanan High School in late June and qualified out of 16 teams in the 16 & under division.

The Lady Canes are composed of four players from Madera High School (Alexis Maciel, Alyssa Alvarez, Veronica Solis, and Lexus Garcia), two from Madera South High School (Giovanna Serros, Shelsea Martinez), two from Liberty High School (Carrie Wiegand, and Kelli Willis), one player from Thomas Jefferson Jr. High (Rita Solis) and two from Clovis Unified (Hannah Green from Clovis North, and Janine Alarcon from Clovis West).

First game out was June 20 against the Coastal Extreme from Santa Maria and the Lady Canes sent Alvarez to the mound. She struck out 13.

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