June 27, 2025
By Alissa Noe
WESTMINSTER — The final inning of the 18U Triple Crown International Challenge between the Dominican Republic and Polynesia could hardly have encapsulated the sheer tenacity of the Colorado-based softball tournament any better.
On a hot Friday afternoon at Christopher Fields, the Dominican Republic starting pitcher Jessie Crye stared down a 6-3 lead with the tying Polynesia run at the plate. The time limit had already passed in the bottom of the fifth, and a victory hinged on her and her defense.
“It was a little nerve wracking, but I just kind of trust my spin and my defense,” said Crye (Avon High School, N.Y.), who joined the team through her travel softball teammate Jayla Santana. “Clearly they all did so well, catching everything.”
DR’s Gabby Cinnamon ended the inning and the game by catching Polynesia’s Sophia Alo’s hit in center field. She brought plenty of spice to her team’s tournament-opening win as she raked in two home runs and three RBIs in her two at-bats on the day.
It was the greatest form of redemption for the Riverside High School (Virginia) player that hasn’t had the easiest year.
“Actually, when I was playing high school ball, I got injured with my knee and I hadn't hit a home run (since) before that,” Cinnamon said. “It felt great to be out here in Colorado with this team. I just saw the ball and I was like, ‘Yeah, let's get after it.’ This is like my fifth game back because it was late in the season, so super exciting. I honestly can't believe in myself.”
There was plenty of offense to go around for the Dominican Republic. Polynesia, who won last year’s 18U Gold bracket, got on the board early with an RBI single from Alo in the first inning, but DR came out swinging much harder.
Cinnamon put her team’s first two runs on the board with a bomb to right field in the very next frame, then Lily Rodriguez joined in on the clinic with a two-RBI single in the top of the third. Santana added another two scores in the very next at-bat after Polynesia’s Kayla Whaley flew over the left field fence to rob her of a home run.
Cinnamon dotted the exclamation point for the third with another solo moonshot, this time to center field.
“This is my first year with the team and it's super exciting, so I'm really happy,” Cinnamon said. “My mom had found out about Coach Sergio (Rodriguez) through a friend, and I'm very proud that my mom is Dominican. I love connecting with my family there. I was like, ‘Wow, I really want to come and represent my country and play the game that I love.’”
Polynesia’s Kenya Lapuaho tapped in another run with a base hit in the bottom of the third, then Whaley secured one more on a fly ball in the fourth. Crye and her DR band shut Polynesia down after that, despite a bit of intrigue from a base hit and a walk in the bottom of the fifth. Crye finished her day with three strikeouts.
“Nobody does a better job than Triple Crown, let me just be clear about that,” Sergio Rodriguez said. “It's the best tournament in the country and they do it all over the country, but this one in particular — second to none.
“Now, in reference to that last inning, it got a little dicey there because they got the tying run at the plate and this team, Polynesia, has proven over the last couple of years that they are an extremely good hitting team with seven or eight kids that could hit the ball out at any time. So, with the tying run to the plate, Jessie had to buckle down there.”
