12U Black go 7-0 and win championship on Mother's Day!

1st Place at New Windsor PONY NQ

 May 10, 2011

 New Windsor, NY

    This past Mother's Day weekend the 12U Black team seemed unstoppable. They mercied the first six 6 teams they played, allowing only one run on their journey to the championship game at the New Windsor, NY 12U PONY NQ. In these first six games leading up to the championship the offense was nothing short of exciting. Home runs were hit by Taylor Adolff and Alicia Bertolino. Triples and doubles were had by Deangie Jimenez, Kelsey Oh and Megan Sneeden. Taylor Sullivan, Amanda Schweitzer and Gabby Palumbo seemed to be on base all the time. Sarah Gunderson, Kelsey Oh and Reese Guevarra supported the offense with outstanding pitching performances. In the 6 games leading up to the championship game they combined to allow only one run, five shutouts, 58K's and won 2 games each.

    The championship would not be the same type of game. They had a very tough opponent to overcome in the Empire State Huskies 12U Black team. That Sunday the Huskies 12U Black team was battling on the other side of the bracket eliminating other tough teams. The Huskies 12U Black gave the Hurricanes 12U Black their first loss of the spring the previous weekend in a 2-1 Saturday loss that helped push the Hurricanes 12U Black into the Silver Bracket on Sunday at the Jennie Finch Invitational. The teams also played 2x before in Yorktown in one run contests with the Hurricanes coming on top 1-0 (Saturday) and 2-1 (Semi-Finals).

    Guevarra started the Championship game allowing 2 unearned runs over 5 tough innings. She left the game in a 2-2 tie. Kelsey Oh came in relief to pitch the top of the 6th. After getting two outs, with a runner on 2B, a routine pop fly was missed by the usually reliable center fielder, Guevarra, allowing the go ahead run to score (3-2, Huskies after 6). It was Guevarra's first error of the spring. "I'm not sure what happened. I misjudged it. I felt very bad about letting them score that run. My team really supported me and didn't let me get down," said Reese. "I knew I was up in the bottom half of the inning and would have a chance to get that run back." That was what she did. She hit the first pitch for a line drive to left. Megan Sneeden promptly sacrificed her to 2B. The Huskies after seeing the smoking bat of Deangie Jimenez (triple and a double in that game) intentionally walked her putting runners on 1B and 2B and setting up a force play with one out. Gunderson followed the intentional walk with a single up the middle scoring Guevarra and advanced herself to 2B and Jimenez to 3B on the throw home. With runners now on 2B and 3B with one out; Kelsey Oh came in and gave the team what they needed. Oh hit a deep fly ball to centerfield. Jimenez tagged at 3rd and scored the go ahead run.

    In the top of the 7th, the Huskies would not go down without a fight. After a strikeout; and a ground out, the Huskies got a single. On the first pitch the runner tried to steal 2B but was gunned down by catcher Megan Sneeden throwing to SS Jimenez ending the game 4-3.

    A truly great game played by two very competitive teams. They will surely face each other a few more times this season. With the Huskies runner-up finish in this 16 team tournament they earned a bid to PONY Nationals as well.

    Coming up this weekend for the the Hurricanes 12U Black team is the "Witches Wild Weekend" in Bordentown, NJ where besides some of the best teams in NJ they will see the only team they have lost to in a Finals (Playing for the Pink Fall 2010) and get their chance to even up the score. Hopefully it will be another exciting weekend for the girls.

5/8/11 2011 Empire State Huskies Black at 2011 Hurricanes Black

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
2011 Empire State Huskies Black	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	3	6	2
2011 Hurricanes Black	1	0	1	0	0	2	X	4	4	5