Overview:
Brookfield Majors softball third; Intermediate baseball loses title series
During their regular season, several Brookfield Little League Majors 12-and-under all-star players were known as the Comeback Kids. In District 9 all-star tournament play, Monday, Brookfield stayed true to that nickname.
Brookfield nearly rallied from a late three-run deficit but lost to LaGrange Park 7-5 at Ehlert Park to finish third in the six-team, double-elimination bracket with a 2-2 overall record.
“They battled back. We’re notorious for (rallies),” said Nicki Franklin, Brookfield’s manager, with assistant coaches Melissa Burns and Kevin Pytel.
“We had a couple of mistakes in the beginning and we couldn’t come back from those in the end. They tried. We told them no matter what happens leave it all out there.”
Brookfield Majors all-star softball players were Ava Burns, Eliska Chase, Olive Costello, Victoria Deaton, Lindsey Faught, Emily Ferguson, Hailey Franklin, Serah Lopez, Carina Marin, Alina Pytel, Eulalia Sokol and Fiona Stenson.
Roughly half of the team are 12-and-under players. Catcher Burns missed her first game Monday with a fractured elbow.
Brookfield’s third baseman Thomas Barnick (18) covers the base and waits on the throw as La Grange Park’s Blake Bolt (3) slides in safely during the Illinois District 9 Little League Intermediate baseball tournament Tuesday, June 30, 2026 in La Grange Park, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Brookfield’s Mathew Heinl (00) hustles down the line on a base hit against La Grange Park during the Illinois District 9 Little League Intermediate baseball tournament Tuesday, June 30, 2026 in La Grange Park, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Brookfield’s Aiden Biel (23) puts the ball in play against La Grange Park during the Illinois District 9 Little League Intermediate baseball tournament Tuesday, June 30, 2026 in La Grange Park, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)
“I think we had a great group. We’ve had a lot of girls since back in 10-U and we had some solid 11-Us who came in and helped us out,” Nicki Franklin said. “They were all chosen for a reason. They were solid players and they’re going to do great moving on from here.”
Brookfield trailed 6-3 before scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth inning to close to 6-5. LaGrange Park scored an insurance run in the top of the sixth before the game ended with Brookfield going down 1-2-3 in the sixth.
Had Brookfield won, the team would have had to beat then-undefeated Western Springs twice to win the championship later Monday and Tuesday. LaGrange Park defeated Western Springs later Monday 5-3 to force Tuesday’s winner-take-all finale.
Brookfield lost its tournament opener to Western Springs, 14-5, June 29, but then defeated Riverside 10-7 July 1 and North Riverside 17-1 on July 2.
“We played a tough game against Western Springs,” Nicki Franklin said. “I’m glad we battled them first. I think that set us up to play better the rest of the time, too.”
North Riverside, which finished 1-2, previously defeated La Grange 19-9, July 1, after losing its opener to Western Springs 21-0, June 30.
Riverside finished 0-2, losing its opener to LaGrange Park 12-2, June 30.
The Minors 10-and-under all-star softball tournament begins July 9 for Brookfield and North Riverside and July 10 for Riverside.
The four-team 11-and-under all-star softball tournament begins July 13 for Brookfield, Riverside and North Riverside.
La Grange beat LaGrange Park in two games to capture the Juniors softball district title.
All-star baseball
In the two-team District 9 Intermediate baseball bracket, Brookfield lost both games to LaGrange Park 12-3, June 30, and 16-3, June 29.
Brookfield team members were Wyatt Adamson, Santos Andino, Thomas Barnick, Aiden Biel, Elijah Castorena, Matthew Heinl, Erick Kemper, Mateo Monarrez, Ryan Nesler, Levi Olson, Joseph Pilch and Linus Starr. The team was managed by Jason Adamson with assistant coaches Spencer Olson and Rob Pilch.
The 10-and-under Minors baseball all-star tournament began Monday with Riverside losing to LaGrange Park 11-0 and North Riverside losing to Western Springs 16-1. Brookfield opened Tuesday against LaGrange Park.
The 11-and-under baseball all-star tournament begins July 8 for Brookfield and Riverside and July 9 for North Riverside.
The Majors 12-and-under baseball all-star tournament begins with Brookfield and Riverside playing each other July 14. North Riverside is not entered.