Butler 12U fastpitch girls polish off perfect season in Alle-Kiski league
BUTLER TWP — Two years ago, Butler’s 10U fastpitch girls softball team won the Alle-Kiski league championship, marking Butler’s first title in that circuit in years.
These girls haven’t stopped.
Over the past three seasons, Butler’s girls have won more than 40 games, lost only four, and cruised to the U12 Alle-Kiski league crown this summer. This year’s team — known as the Butler Garbinski team — finished 17-0, including playoff wins of 9-3 over Butler Crouch, 9-0 over Armstrong and 9-7 over Saxonburg 1 in the championship game.
Butler’s roster numbers were limited by the COVID-19 pandemic two seasons ago.
“We only had one team when we won in U10,” Butler assistant coach Jeannette Brown said. “We put two teams together this year. A handful of girls played on both championship teams.”
Third baseman Khloe Brown, center fielder Annalise Delso, first baseman Sydney Karenbauer, catcher Kaylin Garbinski and pitcher Brooklyn Mills played on both championship teams. Second baseman Cailyn Holt joined Khloe, Kaylin and Brooklyn on the 2021 team, that dropped a 3-0 decision to Armstrong in the league title game.
“These girls just love playing softball,” assistant coach John Mills said. “A few of them play travel ball as well and some are involved in other sports. But they support each other, cheer for each other and enioy their time together.”
Khloe plays travel softball with the Pittsburgh Power, Kaylin plays with the Passion, Brooklyn with the Ohio Blast and shortstop Kyra Olivares with the River City Venom.
“I know my daughter’s played 67 games already this season and there’s a few more to go,” Mills said. “That’s the case with all of these girls in travel ball.”
Brooklyn, in fact, is the youngest girl on this year’s Alle-Kiski championship team. All but two of the girls on the team are eligible to play again at the 12U level next season. Head coach Mike Garbinski and assistants Brown and Mills have stayed with this group of girls the past three years.
There are 14 teams in the Alle-Kiski league with the top eight making the playoffs,.
Coach Mills described Kaylin as “the best catcher in the league, bar none. Sydney is probably the best first baseman. We’re strong defensively up the middle ... This is just a special group of girls.”
Outfielders include Aryanna Golob in left, Annalise in left-center, Breonah Johnston in right-center and Gabriella Frazier in right. Alivia Beck and Julianya Smail see action as well.
“These girls know each other and get along with each other,” Coach Brown said.
Garbinski raved about the atmosphere in the team’s dugout all season.
“It’s the energy and enthusiasm they bring,” he said. “Our dugout is a fun place to be. They keep that atmosphere going game after game. They are constantly upbeat. They love it.
“The girls get quality reps playing travel ball. Even in rec ball, we’re playing against quality players every game. You’re going to get better facing quality competition like that all the time.”
Besides softball,. Sydney plays basketball and volleyball, Cailyn plays hockey, Khloe plays soccer and Breonah plays basketball.
“This is an athletic group and that athleticism helps out,” Garbinski said. “We field two competitive youth fastpitch teams and we don’t stack one team. Our other team (Crouch) made the playoffs as well and had a strong year.
“We’ll try to keep this group together and we’ll continue to coach them. It’s all working.”
