Texas Aces Tournament Results

AFA 18U National Qualifier
Stratton Ridge Sportsplex
Clute, TX
May 8, 2003
2 pool games; double elimination bracket, 4-16U/4 -18U teams

Mission Accomplished at AFA 18U National Qualifier
The Texas Aces decided to try to qualify for the AFA 18U Nationals to be held in Beaumont, TX this summer. The Aces played in their first 18U tournament, and accomplished their goal by winning their first two bracket games and earning a bid to AFA 18U Nationals. In the first bracket game, the Aces put together some hits the second time through the line-up and put two runs on the board in the 4th and another in the 5th. With Rhiannon pitching, the defense held the Renegades to only one hit and made only one error. The second bracket game was intense, as the Aces freshmen and 8th graders faced some of their high school upperclass teammates and rivals on the Texas Connection. Lana Jo, who will be a freshman at Brazoswood next year, did a superb job pitching the first 5 innings for the Aces, allowing only one hit, while the Aces managed to get only one hit off of senior Natalie Jones of Clear Brook. Each team got one additional hit in the 6th, with Pearland freshman Rhiannon pitching the inning for the Aces, but both teams were scoreless as time expired. Going into the ITB inning, Pearland freshman Lindsey started at 2nd base. Kesha, another Pearland freshman, bunted to 3rd. Lindsey was able to score as the Connection 3rd baseman made an errant throw to 1st. In the bottom of the 7th, Alvin starting short stop Loryn Johnson was placed on 2nd base. Aces catcher Megan, an Alvin freshman, gunned down Loryn trying to steal 3rd. Rhiannon struck out the next batter, and Pearland senior 1st baseman Tara Palmer grounded out to Rhiannon to end the game. Both teams played all out that game, with the only run scoring on the only error made by either side. It appeared both teams left it all on the field that game, because both subsequently fell to the Houston Power in error-filled games.

	Opponent	W/L/T	Us	Them
Pool 1	Sugar Land Cyclones 16U (16U bracket)	W	1	0
Pool 2	Texas MissFitz 16U (16U bracket)	W	4	0
Bracket 1	Texas Renegades 18U	W	3	0
Bracket 2	Texas Connection 18U	W	1	0
Bracket 3	Houston Power 16U	W	0	3
	also there
	Alvin No Fear 14U (16U bracket)
	West U Wave 16U (16U bracket)

Pool Game 1 - vs Sugar Land Cyclones 16U. Aces won 1-0.
Stephanie R. and Jessica R. played with the Aces in the pool games, since we were missing Sarah, and Emily can't play yet. This was also Stephanie H.'s first time to play since her surgery, so we needed some backup. Thanks for the help! In the first inning, Lindsey walked on one out but was left stranded. Rhiannon pitched for the Aces. The first Cyclone batter struck out, the next grounded out to the pitcher, and the next flew out to center field. In the 2nd, Kelsea reached on an error with one out, and Lana Jo singled with two outs, but both were left stranded. The Cyclones had one hit on two outs in the bottom of the 2nd, but a ground out to Kendall at 1st left the runner stranded. Jessica R. hit a single on two outs in the 3rd, and Amber followed with another single, but both were left stranded. Rhiannon struck out two in the bottom of the 3rd, and one hit a line drive to Amber at 2nd. Kesha led off the 4th with a single. Rhiannon hit a sac bunt with two strikes to advance Kesha, but Kesha was thrown out on the double play trying to reach 3rd. Kendall reached safely on a bunt, and Kelsea singled up the middle. Megan singled to bring home Kendall. A fly out to right left two stranded. In the bottom of the 4th, Rhiannon struck out one, and Amber caught two pop ups at 2nd for the final two outs.

Pool Game 2 - vs Texas MissFitz 16U. Aces won 4-0.
Lana Jo pitched for the Aces. After a fly out to center and one two right, Lana Jo walked two batters. The next one hit a line drive to Amber to end the inning. Ashley led off the 1st with a single, and Stephanie H. followed with another single. A ground out advanced the runners. Ashley scored on a passed ball, and Amber singled to bring home another run. Lana Jo walked one batter with one out, and struck out two with a single in between to leave two stranded. Kesha led off the 2nd with a single. After an out, Kendall singled. On two outs, Megan was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Lana Jo singled to bring home two runs, and two were left stranded on a ground out. The MissFitz were 3-up-3-down in the 3rd. Stephanie H. walked in the bottom of the 3rd, but was forced out at 2nd. Amber also walked, but two were left stranded.

Bracket 1 - vs Texas Renegades 18U. Aces won 3-0.
After a pop up to short and a pop up to 2nd, Kesha hit a single in the 1st. However, another pop up to short left Kesha stranded. In the bottom of the 1st, Rhiannon struck out the first two batters, and the next one grounded out back to the pitcher. The top of the 2nd was a reply with two strikeouts and a ground out to the pitcher. In the bottom of the 2nd, Rhiannon struck out the first, and the next one grounded to Kendall 1st base. The next batter also struck out. The Aces were 3-up-3-down in the top of the 3rd with two ground outs and a pop up to 2nd. The Renegades had one batter reach in the bottom of the 3rd with a walk on two outs, but a ground out back to the pitcher left the runner stranded. In the top of the 4th, with two outs, Rhiannon hit a single, and Megan walked. Ashley, running for Rhiannon, stole 3rd, and scored on a wild throw by the catcher. Kelsea then singled to bring home Megan, and put the Aces up by two. In the bottom of the 4th, one batter reached on an error, but was forced out at 2nd. The next batter singled, but a fly out to center ended the inning with two runners stranded. Kendall led off the 5th with a single and advanced to 2nd on an error, and Stephanie reached on an error as Kendall scored. After two outs, Kesha singled, and Rhiannon followed with a single to load the bases. However, a grounder to short took the out at the plate to leave three stranded. Rhiannon struck out two in the bottom of the 5th, and the last batter grounded to Megan at 3rd.

Bracket 2 - vs Texas Connection 18U. Aces won 1-0.
This was a game everyone was waiting for. The Connection had four players from Pearland's varsity (Mandi at Short, Tara catching, Sarah in the outfield, and BB at 2nd), and two from Alvin's varsity (Loryn at 3rd/2nd, and Tiffany in center), plus players from other area high schools as well. Natalie of Clear Brook pitched for the Connection. Lindsey singled on one out in the 1st, but was left stranded. Lana Jo pitched for the Aces. Mandi hit to Lindsey at short for the first out, BB grounded out to Lana Jo, and Loryn flew out to Kesha in left. In the 2nd, the Aces had a fly out to center, a pop up to the pitcher, and a ground out to short. Lana Jo walked the lead off batter in the 2nd, and Tara bunted her over to 2nd. The runner advanced on a ground out by Sarah to Kelsea at 3rd. The next batter, Natalie, also grounded to Kelsea at 3rd to leave the runner stranded. The Aces had two strike outs and a ground out to short in the top of the 3rd inning. Tiffany led off for the Connection with a pop up to Lindsey at short. The next batter walked, and advanced on a ground out by Mandi. However, a fly out to Stephanie in center left the runner stranded. In the top of the 4th, Lindsey grounded back to the pitcher, Kesha grounded to short, and Lana Jo popped up to 2nd. For the Connection, Loryn grounded to Lindsey at short for the first out. The next batter singled, but Lindsey made a great stop to keep the runner to one base. Tara then hit to Amber at 2nd. When the runner on 1st hesitated, Amber was able to tag the runner and get Tara at 1st for a double play. Megan led off the 5th with a walk. However, Kelsea popped up a bunt attempt to 3rd, and Megan was doubled off 1st. Ashley struck out to end the inning. In the bottom of the 5th, Sarah and Natalie both grounded out to Amber at 2nd, and Tiffany hit a fly ball to right for the 3rd out. In the top of the 6th, Rhiannon came in the game. With one out, Rhiannon flew out to center. Amber singled, but was left stranded on a pop foul to the catcher. Rhiannon pitched in the 6th. The first batter hit a single down the 3rd base side. The lead runner was retired at 2nd on a fielder's choice by Mandi. Rhiannon struck out the next batter, and Loryn grounded out to Lindsey at short for the 3rd out. Time was expired, so the game went into ITB. Lindsey started at 2nd for the Aces. Kesha hit a perfect bunt on two strikes that hugged the 3rd base line and stayed fair. The 3rd baseman hesitated, expecting the ball to go foul, and made a hurried throw that missed at 1st. Kesha was safe as Lindsey scored. Kesha was left stranded, but the Aces had a run on the board. In the bottom of the 7th, Loryn started at 2nd for the Connection. As Rhiannon pitched to the first batter, Loryn tried to steal 3rd and was caught stealing on a throw from Megan to Lindsey. Rhiannon struck out the batter for the 2nd out. Tara then grounded out to Rhiannon for the final out of the game.

WHO YA ROOTIN' FOR? TEXAS ACES !!

Bracket 3 - vs Houston Power 16U. Aces lost 0-3.
This game should just be erased from the record book. Let's just say the Aces had about twice as many errors as the Power had runs scored. Lindsey hit a single in the 1st, and Kelsea walked in the 2nd, and Rhiannon singled in the 4th for the Aces only runners. The Power only had one or maybe two hits on the Aces, but the errors were everywhere. The team must have left it all on the field in the previous game! Rhiannon pitched two innings, and struck out two with no walks and one or two hits. Lana Jo pitched the final inning and didn't allow a baserunner. Stephanie made a great catch for the last out in center field, but her knee hurt and she had to be carried off the field. We hope you're going to be all right, Steph. Well, the Aces still accomplished what they set out to do, so this game didn't matter!

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