USSSA Region 2 Review-Father's Day Classic

Managed by Vince Crandall, the Port Orange Blazers 97 improved their overall season record to 30-8-1 with a 6-0 performance and tournament championship at the Father's Day Classic at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex in Ormond Beach, Florida.  The class "A" Port Orange Blazers 97 was clearly the class of the eight team tournament field, as they were the only team to finish undefeated.

The Blazers steamrolled their way through pool play picking up an 8-2 victory over the Tsunami 96 before recording consecutive shutouts over the Santa Fe Inferno and Flagler F.A.S.T. Cyclones, 2-0 and 4-0 respectively.  After the hot start the Blazers didn't miss a step come bracket play, recording their third straight shutout, as they defeated the Tsunami 96 for a second time 8-0.  In their semifinal game, the Blazers were tested but came away with a 3-2 victory over the Streamline 96 Orange before slamming the door on the tournament with an impressive 9-2 victory over the Santa Fe Inferno for the tournament title.

By recording a tournament high 30 runs and allowing a tournament low six runs, Port Orange picked up their first USSSA tournament championship of the 2011 season and it was an important one.  In addition to Crandall, The Blazers' coaches are Kenny Walters and Danny Beard and their roster is made up of #3 Lacey Crandall, #4 Allie Walters, Britnee Dowd, #8 Reilly Oliver, #10 Courtney Wood, #13 Brooke Aldrich, #14 Tabitha Halcomb, #16 CheyeAnne Compton, #18 Haleigh Myrick, #23 Brooke Hartman and #24 Karlee Beard.

Finishing the Father's Day Classic with a perfect 5-0 record, the Jax Fusion 99 continued their recent hot streak in USSSA play by pushing their unbeaten streak to 11 games and picking up their second consecutive tournament championship.  The Fusion 99 had a nice series of games in pool play, picking up a pair of 5-0 shutouts over the Blazers Fastpitch 99 and Gainesville Gators along with a 7-2 triumph over the Jacksonville Venom.

Sporting a 3-0 record after pool play, the Fusion 99 had only two hills to climb and they began their ascent by taking on Miken 99 in the semifinal game.  Miken99, hailing from Volusia County, Florida had high hopes of knocking off the Fusion 99, but it wasn't meant to be, as the Fusion recorded shut out number three with an 8-0 blanking.  The win set up a championship game showdown with the only other undefeated team left in the bracket, the Jax Storm 98.  The Storm entered the game itching for a tournament title after finishing third twice and second twice in USSSA tournaments this season, while the Fusion were looking for title number three.  The two teams fought tooth and nail but when the final out was recorded, the Fusion 99 were victorious by the final of 5-3.

The Fusion had a very strong performance allowing an average of only one run per game and averaging six runs scored.  Their 2011 roster is comprised of Kennedy Albertson, Megan Allen, Taylor Allen, Reedy Davenport, Kamdyn Kvistad, Lauryn Markis, Lauren Martinelli, Savannah Parker, Blaire Register, Lexie Schivley, Alie Smith and Kelsey Sweatt
 

In the lower bracket of the 12U Open Father's Day Classic, Manager Greg Stanford'sFusion team gave all the fathers something extra special to celebrate on Father's Day by beating out a small, yet competitive tournament field to win the tournament championship.  However, after dropping the first game 3-1 to Miken 99 it didn't look promising for the Fusion.  But as all good teams do, the Fusion rebounded solidly with a 9-0 shutout of the Diver Chicks before gutting out a 4-3 victory over the Tsunami 99.

Entering bracket play with a 2-1 record, the Fusion took on the Gainsville Gators in their first of two games in the round.  The Gators entered the game winless, and they would leave the game the same way, as the Fusion sent them home with a 9-5 defeat propelling themselves into the championship game against Tsunami 99.  After a close game in pool play the Fusion/Tsunami rematch was eagerly anticipated at the park, but history would repeat itself with the Fusion winning another close game by the final score of 4-1 to claim the tournament title.

The Fusion continued their promising 2011 USSSA season, earning their third finals berth and second tournament championship.  The Fusion's roster is made up of Lauren Bosnyak, Morgan Dixon, Brittany French, Amanda Haltiwanger, Sierra Hutchens, Alyssa Morin, Bailey Olguin, Rachel Sadowski, Claire Scribner, Lauren Stanford and Julia Williams.
 

There is dominance at a tournament and then there is what the Jacksonville Storm 2001 did this past weekend at the Father's Day Classic at the Nova Recreation Complex in Ormand Beach, Florida.  Managed by Addison Davis, the Jacksonville Storm finished the tournament as the only undefeated team and outscored their opponents by an amazing score of 60-2.

The Storm began their weekend with an 18-1 shellacking of the Lady Renegades before wrapping up pool play back to back shut outs over the NFGS Thunder and Creeks Crushers by the scores of 14-0 and 10-0 respectively.  With a tournament field of only four teams, breaks were few and far between; so the hundred degree heat made it difficult to play through.  However, the Storm kept the pedal to the floor and continued to swing a hot bat, defeating the Lady Renegades 13-1 and Creeks Crushers 5-0 to pick up the tournament championship.

Along with Manager Davis, Assistants Bill DaMan and Jon Kisler have helped take these girls to another level, with their overall record now standing at 50-14-1 with over 500 runs scored on the season.  Their roster is #10 Jaycie Brookeshire, #15 Bailey Cooley, #11 Madisyn Davis, #2 Caroline DePrirro, #1 Hannah Foster, #12 Taryn Freshwater, #50 Baylee Goddard, #14 Jordan Hanlly, #23 Sierra Jevyak and #7 Katelyn Kistler.