MORE OCTOBER BATBUSTER
Sunday Game Notes
Valley Breeze resorted to an unusual defensive scheme: the infield rotated every batter. Vanessa Mejia (04) looked good at every position, and little sister Bianca (06) had some stellar plays at short. On the downside, one game was so consumed by arguments that it only lasted 4 innings. Tommy is not the only coach who could improve clock management. All those huddle before and after each half inning and all those trips to the mound, and especially arguments with officials take playing time away from your team. We all like to let off steam occasionally, but in a non-championship tourney, exposure time is of the essence.
Team New Jersey 1, So Cal Athletics 1. Given the slugging power on the hand-picked, star-laden TNJ, SCA pitcher Charlotte Morgan gets at least a gold star for holding them in check with a sharply-breaking curve. TNJ took the lead behind Melissa Hodge when Brette Reagan reached for a pitch and popped a Texas Leaguer into right. Megan Elliott (06) reached on an error at 3rd, but Maddy Coon hit into a fielder’s choice at 3rd, one down. Nicole Ayers walked to load the bases, and Coon scored on a catcher error. The SCA’s retaliated, Melissa Marinacci (who had a great tournament) doubled and scored the tying run on Rosie Neill’s bunt/hit. Monica Montez singled but O’Neill was out at 3rd (8-5).
SC Athletics 7, American Pastime 0. Got there late with the A’s leading 4-0 (all in the 1st?). At the end, Traci Dickenson hit a sac fly with the bases loaded, and Stephanie Tam tripled in the last two runs.
Diamonds 3, Beach Girls 2. Hailey Squires was the winning pitcher.
Beach Girls 2, AUSTIN Storm 0. Kristen Schindler pitched the win.
L’il Saints 10, Stiggy’s Sports 0. Samantha Tienfthaler (06) pitched this win, which was paced by 5 rbi by unsigned senior Lisa Conchos.
Team New Jersey 7, NM Sundancers 1. A lot of mail will be going to Tomball, TX. Alex Reynolds (06) smashed a grandslam home run. Nicole Ayers (06) and Melissa Hodge (verballed to Hofstra) pitched for TNJ.
Raiders 3, Beach Girls 0. Shaunice Harris, the oldest player on the team (16 last January) drove in two runs. Ten players turned 15 this year. Essentially a champion 14-U team moving up, Phil Bruder has an automatic berth to 16 nationals, and will probably play at the 18 level until then. Very talented young ladies.
So Cal Athletics 5, Cruisers 2. Sitting diagonally across a huge expanse of grass, watching the Raiders-Valley Breeze game, we could see the balls flying out of field #1 where the SCA’s hit three homers in four at-bats: Julie Burney, Ashley Ellis and Traci Dickenson. Christine Farrell and Monica Aines shared the win.
Firecrackers 4, Diamonds 0. Michelle Schroeder (single) scored the first run. Sara Akamine settled all doubts with a 2-run homer.
Firecrackers 2, Raiders 0. Megan Langenfeld (06) whose hitting heroics are keeping pace with her pitching, got the win over Kelsey Bruder (07).
Raiders 2, Diamonds 0. Kelsey Bruder notched the win with a very commendable effort.
USA Athletics 1, Corona Angels 0. Ashley Gleason, one of many unsigned seniors at this tournament, held a 1-0 lead at the time we left. Breanna Adams and Lindsay Marquez walked; Jade Espinoza reached on an error at short to load the bases; Amanda Sais drove in nthe only run.
Valley Breeze 1, Raiders 0. A very good defensive game. Sarah Vertelka (06) vs Lindsey Sisk (07). As time was expiring, Samantha Marder’s two-out single brought home Emily Hanson.
Correction: Diamonds beat Valley Breeze 2-0. Suzi Cominski was the winning pitcher.
Still to come: notes on some unsigned seniors.
Potpourri: Excellent, national-tournament quality eight-field park. Good seating, multiple toilets, only average concessions. Hearty salute to all those Batbuster parents who worked the fields. Drawback: very spread out. You could re-enact the battle of the Alamo in a smaller space. A few trolleys for the college coaches, some of whom never saw fields 5-8 – and a Spymaster with bad knees – would be a boon.
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