Texas Aces Runner-Up in
USFA National Qualifier
The Aces started out strong in pool play Friday night, shutting out
the Texas Heat and the Texas Energy. In their first bracket game
against the 12U Gulf Coast Xplosion late Saturday night, the Aces had another
no-hit shutout. On Sunday, the Aces shut out TCB Blue, as Siera pitched
a fantastic game against them, with Rhiannon coming in to close it.
Then trouble started as the Aces defense was plagued with errors in the
game against the Dickinson Slammers. The Aces allowed one earned
run in the first inning, then after two outs in the 2nd and again in the
5th, a couple of errors followed by a couple of hits put several unearned
runs on the board for the Slammers. Even so, the Aces bats were cold
in the game and they couldn't get a run across. The next game against
TCB got off to a rough start when the first batter reached on an error,
and after two outs, scored on a hit, but the Aces got the bats going and
pounded out 5 hits combined with one walk in the 2nd to put 5 runs on the
board, which was enough to seal the victory. In the championship
game against the Slammers, the Aces defense was once again plagued with
errors, as they allowed several more unearned runs. This time, though,
the Aces were able to get a couple of runs across, preventing a shutout.
Those were the only runs the Slammers allowed in the tournament.
Congratulations, girls! 2nd place is nothing to hang your head about! |
Pool Game 1 - vs
Texas Heat. Aces won 7-0.
The Aces batted first, and Amber led off with a double.
Megan brought her home with a single on one out. Kesha
followed with another single, and Megan scored on an error.
Ashley reached on a missed fly to center, but Kesha
was tagged out at home trying to score. Stephanie hit a double
to the fence score Ashley, and Siera brought home Stephanie
with a single up the middle. The Aces put 4 runs on the board.
After Rhiannon struck out the first Heat batter, two singles put
runners at first and second. The next batter hit a grounder to Amber
at 2nd who tagged the runner and threw to 1st for the double
play. The Aces were 3-up-3-down in the 2nd. The
Heat led off with a single, and after a strikeout, the Aces got the lead
runner on a fielder's choice. Another strikeout left one stranded.
Megan hit a single on two outs in the 3rd, but was left stranded.
Lana Jo pitched the 3rd inning and got the Heat 3-up-3-down.
Ashley walked to lead off the 4th, and advanced on a sac bunt by
Stephanie. Siera brought home a run with a ground out
to right field. Rhiannon walked, followed by a single from
Kelsea. Kendall reached on a throwing error as two
more runs scored. Time ended with the Aces up 7-0.
Pool Game 2 - vs
Texas Energy. Aces won 15-0.
The first Energy batter reached on an error and advanced on a sac bunt.
Siera walked one to put two on base, but a pop up and a grounder
to short left both stranded. Amber led off with a walk, followed
by a single from Lindsey. Megan brought both home with
a single. Kesha followed with a single, but Megan was
tagged out off 2nd base. Kesha advanced on a wild pitch and
scored on a passed ball as Ashley walked. Stephanie
walked, and Ashley scored on an error. Siera and Rhiannon
hit safe bunts to load the bases. Kelsea followed with an
RBI single, and Lana Jo cleared the bases with a three-run
double. Amber brought home Lana Jo with
another double, and scored on a single by Lindsey. Megan
reached safely on a bunt, and Kesha hit a double to bring home two
more before the last out. Siera got the Energy 3-up-3-down
in the 2nd. Stephanie led off with a safe bunt and stole 2nd.
Siera reached on an error. Kelsea hit a single to score
one. Lana Jo reached on an error after two outs that put two
more runs on the board. Siera struck out another, and a ground
out ended the game as time expired.
Bracket 1 - vs
Gulf Coast Xplosion 12U. Aces won 5-0.
The Aces batted first, and were 3-up-3-down. Rhiannon
walked two in the 1st, but both were left stranded. After two outs
in the 2nd, Stephanie reached on an error. Rhiannon
brought her home with a double. Kesha followed with a single,
but two were left stranded. GCX first batter reached on an error,
and advanced on a ground out, but was left stranded on a line drive to
first and a pop foul caught by the catcher. Both sides were 3-up-3-down
in the 3rd. Lana Jo hit one to deep right field that was caught
for the first out in the 4th. Ashley reached on a bunt on
a defensive error. Stephanie was safe after a bunt attempt
as Ashley reached 3rd. Rhiannon hit a hard shot to
2nd for a fielder's choice that went for the runner heading home, but failed,
as two runs scored. Rhiannon advanced on a sac bunt by Kesha.
Kelsea reached on an error on an overthrow to 1st as Rhiannon
scored, but Kelsea was tagged out going for 3rd to end the top of
the inning. GCX was 3-up-3-down in the bottom of the 4th. On
one out, Lindsey walked in the 5th, and advanced to 3rd on a wild
pitch and a stolen base. Lana Jo brought home Lindsey
with a double. Siera and Emily both walked, but a ground
out left both stranded. GCX was again 3-up-3-down, as the Aces completed
another no-hit shut-out.
Bracket 2 - vs
TCB Blue. Aces won 1-0.
The Aces were finally home team for a bracket game! Siera
pitched for the Aces. After a bunt fielded by Siera, and a
grounder to Lindsey at short, TCB hit a single, but the runner was
left stranded as Siera struck out the next batter. Emily
drew a lead off walk on a full count for the Aces. Emily advanced
on a sac bunt by Lindsey, and scored on a double by Megan.
Ashley walked on two outs, but a ground out left two stranded.
TCB was 3-up-3-down on a fly ball out and two pop ups. Lana Jo
led off with a single in the bottom of the 2nd, and advanced on a wild
pitch and a full count sac bunt by Kendall, but a line-drive and
a strike out left her stranded. In the 3rd, after a pop foul and
a strikeout, TCB had one baserunner that was hit by a pitch, but a fly
out to Ashley in right left the runner stranded. Stephanie
hit a single on two outs, but was left stranded. TCB was 3-up-3-down
in the 4th with a pop-up to the pitcher, a fly out to Stephanie
in center, and a grounder to short. Rhiannon hit a single
on two outs in the 4th, and Siera walked, but both were left stranded.
TCB led off with a single in the top of the 5th, and the runner advanced
on a sac bunt. Rhiannon came in to finish the game, and the
runner advanced to 3rd on a ground out to 2nd, but a ground out to short
ended the game!
Bracket 3 - vs
Dickinson Slammers. Aces lost 0-7.
Bracket 4 - vs
TCB Blue. Aces won 5-1.
Bracket 5 - Championship
Game - vs Dickinson Slammers. Aces lost 2-5.
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