18U Bracket Play Round 2: USA Elite Select WFC Recap
Friday marks the third and final day of bracket play in Kansas City at the Mid-America Sports Complex for 18U. The completion of the day results in the four top teams from Brackets A, B, C, and D going to the final four championship round starting Saturday afternoon. Those four teams will be in a single elimination Championship Bracket. The champion will be crowned at Saturday night’s game at 8:00 pm CT.
OC Batbusters – Stith vs. Southern Force 18U Premier – Palmer
In a hot afternoon battle around noon on Friday, the OC Batbusters Stith and Southern Force 18U Premier Palmer gave us a great game. For the first time this tournament, the OC Batbusters Stith experienced a team batting all the way through their order. Olivia Rains (Oklahoma), took her place in the circle to start the game. She ended up being one of many pitchers to enter the game for the Batbusters. After allowing five quick runs in the first, Madi Elish was called on to finish the inning. Alanna Thiede came in for a total of four innings, holding the Southern Force off and hitting all of her spots. University of Arizona commit, Vanessa Foreman, came in for relief and successfully did her job securing the win. Lead-off hitter Jasmine Perezchia (Arizona), had an outstanding game. She is a versatile player who dropped a beautiful bunt in the fifth, a soft slap to short to get herself on base, and a RBI single in her final at-bat. Another Arizona commit, Terra McGowan, showed her strength in the field and at the plate. McGowan gunned down a runner at first from behind the plate, had two doubles, and an RBI.
Coming out in the first inning, the Southern Force didn’t waste any time with their bats. Everyone got a chance to get up to the plate and base hits for all but a couple. Kaylie Hewitt threw all seven for her team and displayed her talent. Hewitt worked the entire zone, making the Batbusters earn their hits. She also has an excellent curveball and a very effective changeup. A few base hit singles were acquired by Alexys Haskins, Lindsey Carroll, and Allie Herron after the first. Catcher, Sydne Solomon showed her toughness by being a brick wall behind the plate and also hit a shot to left center in the fourth inning. Unfortunately the Southern Force couldn’t string together any more consecutive hits for runs and lost to the Batbusters with a final score of 9-5.
Bracket A Championship: OC Batbusters Stith vs Ohio Outlaws Demarini
The USSSA Pride (Bracket A) Championship game was held Friday night on field one at the Mid-American Sports Complex.
The game started out scoreless in the first two innings with only a couple hits for both the Batbusters and the Outlaws. Once the third inning began though, the Batbusters started to get a good look at the ball and opened things up ultimately winning 9-2.
Nicole May (Oklahoma) started for the Batbusters and looked sharp throwing the ball hard and hitting her spots. Foreman also spun some innings for the Batbusters. Maya Brady (UCLA), had a great game at the plate with three hits, two stolen bases, and an immaculate bunt for a base hit after reading the defensive position in the sixth. Tiare Jennings had a hot glove at shortstop, not letting anything through the infield as she was the start of a double play in the second and had a great stretch to catch a high line drive in the fourth. Jennings also contributed on offense with a RBI double to right center in the third to secure a 2-0 lead. Giulia Koutsoyanopulos made her mark with a bomb over the left field fence in the fourth to make the score 4-0. Terra McGowan also provided two doubles for the Batbusters.
The Outlaws fell just short of the final four teams but had fought their way through the losers bracket after being previously defeated by the Batbusters earlier in the tournament. Friday morning they eliminated the Mississippi Glory 18U Lewis (3-1), Kansas City Peppers Gold (4-0), and the Texas Blaze Bonola (7-5) all before losing to the Batbusters in the Bracket A Championship.
Sarah Seamans was in the circle for the Outlaws for the first five innings. Seamans showed how she could work the zone and displayed great reaction time on defense with a few snags on the mound for outs. Brianna Pratt finished up the game on the rubber with her smooth delivery and speed. Producing at the plate was Avery Steiner with two hits. Chelsea Bisi also had a hit with a ball off the top of the fence for a double along with Madison Shiderly who launched a missile to the outfield that fell out of the center fielders glove.
