USA Elite takes 2nd in as many weeks

USA Elite 16U faced seven opponents this weeked in our first 18U tournament. The first six games were mostly batting practice for the team as they combined to score 50 runs and allowed 2. Finally in the championship game we faced a worthy opponent in the Pajaro Valley Tremblers - yes, Margaret's home town team. The USA Elite girls did not give up at any point in the game, even rallying in the last inning to score their second run with two outs and time expired. But a 1st place finish wasn't meant to be this weekend. 2nd place is impressive in the team's first attempt at the next level.

Last weekend the team clinched a berth to 16U ASA Nationals in Chattanooga, TN the first week of August by taking 2nd place in the Sacramento ASA Metros. In a bitter battle vs. the California Breeze in the initial championship game, Kali hit an RBI single that tied the game, however the game was lost in the final inning, when former Thunder teammate Maddie Lopes scored the go ahead run as a pinch runner in the top of the 7th.

The loss put us head to head against the Foothill Gold - Stinson team, widely regarded by locals as the team expected to take the tourney. We'd faced them the day before and handed them their first loss of the double elimination tourney. Sac Metros wasn't to be for the Foothill Gold team. USA Elite exploded for 7 runs in a shut out win to capture 2nd place. The highlight of the game was Melia's 4th inning bases loaded Grand Slam Homerun to put us up 5-0. It was Melia's first ever out of the park homerun hit. What a game!