18U Bracket Recap: USA Softball Junior Olympics Cup
Virginia Unity vs. Texas Storm
In this loser’s bracket game, the Virginia Unity and Texas Storm play in an elimination game in hopes of making it to the 18U championship. Texas Storm fell behind and trailed the entire game, starting with a home run in the second by Reed Butler. Butler also contributed a hit in the third for an RBI along with Courtlyn Cooney, Tori Rodebaugh, and Alexia Lomax. Kyleigh Richardson pitched all seven consistently for the VA Unity Squad. Richardson managed to give up just two runs and two walks while throwing 109 pitches, to help lead her team to a 10-2 win over the Storm. The Virginia Unity team impressed on defense as well. They won their next game 5-4 against the Scrap Yard Internationals to eliminate them but fell to the Texas Glory Adkins ending their run.
While the Storm had some nice hits, they failed to find the gaps. Rachel Riley, the right-handed pitcher, started going two and 2/3 innings before calling on Rylie Ingles. Riley allowed five runs but struck out one and walked one. Ingles came in relief, showing excellent control, but allowed five runs in her four and 1/3 inning. Mayela Fernendez showed her speed with a double to center in the third, while Lindsey Leistad finished the seventh with a two-RBI triple. Laurel Mckelvey, Grace Hahn, and Briana Garcia also got a hit each for the night.
St. Louis Chaos vs. PA Chaos
Throwing a complete game shutout, Meghan Schorman used her change of speed to keep the PA Chaos off balance in their winner’s bracket game. She lasted five innings, allowing zero runs, zero walks, and struck out four. Not only did Schorman pitch an outstanding game, she had a base hit in the third to start a little rally. Olivia Ward took advantage of an error to score the first run for St. Louis in the first inning. Advancing home on a pass ball, Micah Arps crossed the plate to add another run in the second. Crushing the ball up the third base line in the second and a base hit up the middle in the fourth, Rylea Smith showed her skill. Callie Unrein had a RBI triple in the third, and Olivia Ward completed a beautiful suicide squeeze that scored her teammate and left her in scoring position. The St. Louis Chaos took the lead early on and didn’t give the PA Chaos any breathing room.
The PA Chaos fought hard on Thursday evening but fell to the loser’s bracket after their 8-0 game with St. Louis Chaos. Madison Penta started in the circle before tagging in Haylei Archer. Archer eventually had to call on Alyssa DeJianne to finish up the game. DeJianne gave up no runs, one hit, struck out one, and walked none in her less than one inning in the circle.
Gold Coast Hurricanes Cooper vs. Glory Adkins
The Texas Glory Adkins were left shocked after an incredibly intense come back from the Gold Coast Hurricanes. Gold Coast was trailing the entire game, even 7-0 in the second inning, but that didn’t stop them from grinding out a big win. Brianna Enter started on the rubber for the Gold Coast Hurricanes, but only for a short time after giving up two runs and three hits before the end of the first. Jannay Jones came in for the Hurricanes, holding Glory Adkins until Emily Winburn finished off the last two innings with a solid performance. The Gold Coast Hurricanes had strung together a few hits for some runs, but it wasn’t until the sixth where they had a two-out rally. Lindsay Garcia had a two-RBI triple followed by a base hit RBI to make it 7-7. Winning it in the seventh, Katherine Rodriguez belts a solo home run to make it 8-7, a hit by pitch with the bases loaded would extend the lead to 9-7 for the Hurricanes.
The Glory came out strong, scoring seven in the first two innings. Unfortunately for them, they were held to those seven runs the whole game. Sophie Hannabas started, looking solid, while working her spins and locations. Hannabas pitched 3.1 innings allowing four hits and four runs before Reagan Chism pitched a little over two innings, allowing five hits and another four runs. Mya Stevenson took the circle for the last inning of the game, adding one hit, one run, one strikeout, and one walk to the pitching stats. Getting on the board in the first inning, Kowalik doubled for an RBI to start the scoring, followed immediately by an RBI double by Abigail Stuart. Opening up in the second, The Glory put the pressure on with a two-RBI single by Ashleigh Sgambelluri and then a three-run homer by Riley Cantrell. Totaling ten hits on the game, Kowalik and Maggie Black lead their team with multiple hits on the day.
