Lexi Fox is among several Brookfield Little League softball 10-and-Under all-stars who have seen older sisters win District 9 titles. When Brookfield 10-U captured this year’s district championship by beating Western Springs 10-5 July 14 at Veterans Park in North Riverside, they made a little history themselves.
“When I was looking at my sister (Cameron) winning state and districts, the thought in my brain it was like, ‘It would be so fun to do if I could do it when I was this old,’” Fox said. “They won in 12-U. They didn’t win in 10-U so I was like, ‘This seems like a very good opportunity.’”
Brookfield team members are Evangelina Anderson, Annabelle Beattie, Molly Byrne, Juliet Contreras, Bella Figueroa Dunnell, Fox, Lindsey Franklin, Antonella Martinez, Victoria Melendez, Penelope Pros, Mia Riddle, Amaya Patel and Mila Solis. Mike Melendez is the manager with assistant coaches John Anderson, Jack Byrne, Jim Franklin, Greg Fox, Joe Riddle and Nello Giampieto.
At the 10-U state tournament, Brookfield advanced to Monday’s semifinals after going 3-1 in pool play Saturday and Sunday. In District 9, Brookfield went 4-0 in the six-team bracket, which included a 6-5 seven-inning victory over Western Springs in the opening round July 9.
“Winning, I can’t even describe it. When you’re a pitcher or hitter and you score and win, it’s like, ‘Man, we just won districts.’ That’s a huge thing,’” said starting pitcher Anderson. “It’s everybody won because everybody worked hard together so when you all put in the effort you’re like, ‘Wow. We just won this. It’s incredible.’”
This was Brookfield’s first 10-U district title since back-to-back crowns in 2021-22. Those two groups went on to win Major 12-U and 11-U the next two years, including the 2023 Majors state championship. Those teams also included the older sisters of Beattie (Emma), Melendez (Nena) and Pytel (Amelia) with Mike Melendez managing.
Also coaching a 14-U traveling softball team, Melendez came in from a tournament in St. Louis to coach Brookfield in the final and then headed back.
“(Our assistants) do the lion’s share of the work. They deserve all of the credit in the world,” manager Melendez said. “We can’t succeed without the whole team pitching in. It’s a full team effort, even on the coaching end.”
On the field, Brookfield scored three in the top of the first inning and led 4-2 when Western Springs had the bases loaded with one out in the fourth. Martinez came in relief after 2.1 solid innings from Fox and got the next two outs with no runs scoring – Melendez fielding a dribbler and stepping on home for the force and the first of Martinez’s seven strikeouts over the final 2.2 innings.
“I had a lot of pressure on me. I was really scared,” Martinez said. “Walks really hurt as much as hits so you want to gain strength and power and pitch all your best.”
In the top of the fifth, Brookfield scored three runs behind a run-scoring single from Solis and two-run single by Figueroa Dunnell.
“This whole tournament, I must have put (Martinez) in a minimum three times with the bases loaded and she got us out of it every time. At (turning 10 recently), that’s just amazing,” Mike Melendez said. “To be able to hold them and then add on (to lead 6-2), I think it certainly energized us and kind of prevented them from building up energy.”
Solis and Franklin each had three hits and Melendez, Byrne and Figueroa Dunnell two each. Solis had three runs batted in.
In the first meeting with Western Springs, Brookfield pulled away 6-3 in the seventh behind RBI singles from Anderson and Byrne. In the final, Melendez (single), Anderson (walk) and Byrne (error) all reached base and scored to start the fifth.
“It felt very good because (Anderson got on) and I was like, ‘I really want to do that,’ and then I got (on base),” Byrne said. “In the beginning you’re nervous and at the end you’re like, ‘Ah, that was so amazing,’ Finally, my soul’s not beating and I’m happy.”
Riverside’s pitcher Joe Rooney (2) delivers a pitch against Brookfield during the Illinois District 9 Little League Major baseball tournament Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in La Grange Park, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Brookfield’s pitcher Henry Zib (44) delivers a pitch against Riverside during the Illinois District 9 Little League Major baseball tournament Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in La Grange Park, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside’s second baseman Rocco Denapoli (8) stretches out and tries to stop a ground ball hit by Brookfield during the Illinois District 9 Little League Major baseball tournament Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in La Grange Park, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Brookfield’s Colin Sibert (4) races home to score a run against Riverside during the Illinois District 9 Little League Major baseball tournament Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in La Grange Park, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside’s Artie Hernandez (79) takes a swing against Brookfield during the Illinois District 9 Little League Major baseball tournament Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in La Grange Park, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)
Little League baseball
The Brookfield 10-U team’s state tournament has been rescheduled for this weekend. In the six-team Majors 12-U District 9 tournament, Riverside finished third with a 2-2 record.
Riverside lost to LaGrange Park 16-8 in Sunday’s consolation bracket final after beating Brookfield 9-3 July 14 and Lyons Township 8-2 July 15 and losing to Western Springs 6-5 Saturday.
Brookfield was 0-2, also losing to La Grange 12-2 Friday. Western Springs beat LaGrange Park 3-2 Monday to capture the district title.