Tournament Recap: 2018 Boulder IDT
Gathering at the base of the Rocky Mountain foothills in Boulder, Colorado for the 21st year, 80 teams were in attendance for the IDT softball tournament. IDT Boulder uses ten fields at both the Stazio Complex and the East Mapleton Complex for a great softball competition site. Also included in the IDT play are an additional 32 teams in the 18u division at the Louisville Sports Complex, 56 in the 16U at Longmont, and 14U with a total 48 teams in Broomfield. The tournament gives additional opportunities for recruitment in an IDT All-Star game that kicks off the five-day event for each respective age division’s uncommitted athletes.
With pool play determining the single elimination bracket, each 18U team has six pool-play games Wednesday through Friday and bracket play on Saturday/Sunday. California teams took over across the board in pool play with Corona Angel MT, OC Batbusters RB, OC Batbusters MS, Batbuster Gomes, Explosion BD, and the Grapettes all going 6-0. Also doing very well in pool play going 5-1 and only allowing one run each to be scored was Georgia’s EC Bullets TC, New Jersey Intensity KOD, and the Nebraska Gold LS.
Bracket Play
The Georgia Impact Premier -Lewis made a solid run in both pool and bracket play at Boulder IDT, making it to the championship game and finishing as the runner-up. Getting through the first two days in Boulder, the GA Impact Premier walked away with four wins in their first four games. Moving on to the last day of pool play, Friday was a slight struggle for wins when the Impact Premier tied one and lost one before bracket play to the OC Batbusters of California. Coming into bracket play, Coach Lewis and the GA Impact Premier appeared determined heading into bracket play, the team blew out their first opponent by nine and then proceeded to win each of the remaining two games of the day by three to advance to Sunday. Making it to the final stages of the bracket, Kelley Lynch throws a perfect game against the California Sorcerers to eliminate them before moving past the TN Fury (5-1). Unfortunately for they suffered a loss in the championship game against the Batbusters, the same team they had trouble with earlier in the week.
Struggling with their first few days of the Boulder IDT tournament, the Tennessee Fury Premier fought back to make it to the last four teams of bracket play. Losing two of their first four games, the Fury earned their first two wins with help from their offense and defense. Frace Osbron had a five-RBI game on Wednesday, Ashley Rogers shutout the Ohio Outlaws Yun (3-0) on Thursday. The final day of pool play (Friday) was defiantly more successful for them, earning two solid wins to end the day. Once bracket play started, the team came out stronger than the previous days and successfully made it to the final four. A shutout by Rogers on Saturday, helped advance them past the Illinois Chill. They ended their run on Sunday being eliminated by the Georgia Impact. Splitting time on the rubber with Rogers is pitcher Hannah Koenig, both contributed to the success of the Fury.
Championship Game
Coming into the championship, only the OC Batbusters MS of California and the Georgia Impact Premier – Lewis were left in 18U bracket play. The Batbusters came out with a literal bang when Tiare Jennings hit a three-run homer in the first inning. The Impact answered back with a solo shot over the fence in the bottom of the first by Skylar Wallace. The Batbusters wasted no time in their next at-bat scoring three more runs to extend their lead to six, thanks to a home run by UCLA commit Colleen Sullivan. On the mound, Nicole May pitched 4.1 innings for the win, allowing only two runs, and striking out three. The Impact’s Vanessa Oatley spun 4.2 innings in the championship game before passing the ball to Kelley Lynch to end the game. OC Batbusters MS ended the game (9-3) with 13 hits, and finished the tournament undefeated.
IDT Champs! Great job ladies, proud of you. Next up, Kansas! pic.twitter.com/N02YM3sRqA
— Maria Jennings (@njmj624) July 1, 2018
