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July 14, 2002 - 6 Greater Houston Area
Gold teams qualified for the ASA 18U Gold National Tournament to be held in
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, July 29-Aug at the 2002 ASA Gold Region 7
Championship at Collins field in Spring/ Klein, Texas. 21 Teams were
competing for 6 available spots. Houston Power Gold, Texas Eclipse Gold,
South Houston Mystixxs, Impact Gold Darin, Impact Gold Pete and Texas High
Voltage Gold were the 6 qualifying teams.
These 6 Greater Houston Area teams join the Katy Express, Katy Cruisers and Fear
This as the only Texas teams qualifying for the 2002 ASA 18U Gold National
Tournament. The Katy Express qualified by placing 3rd in the Phoenix, Arizona
ASA Gold National Qualifier held June 14-16. Fear This (from Fort Worth)
captured one of the three available berths at the ASA Gold National Qualifier
held June 7-9 in Killeen, Texas. Fear This is the only none Greater Houston Area
ASA Gold team to qualify for the ASA Gold Nationals. The Katy Cruisers qualified
by winning the 18U Gold National Championship last summer in Marietta, Georgia.
The Cruisers are the 2001 and 2002 National Champions.
One of the key games Sunday was the game between Houston Power Gold and the
Texas Eclipse Gold in the Winner's Bracket. The loser had to play the surviving
winner in the loser's bracket. Houston Power reached the Final Winner's
Bracket game by shutting out the San Antonio Blazers by a score of 15-0,
squeezing by Impact Gold Pete by a score of 2-1, and by defeating High Voltage
by a score of 3-1. Texas Eclipse Gold defeated Round Rock Trouble Friday night,
shut-out the Cy-Fair Intruders by a score of 3-0 and beat Impact Gold Darin by a
score of 2-1.
The game between Houston Power Gold and the Texas Eclipse Gold was scoreless
until the 5th inning. Then Houston Power's Tara Hersey (Stephen F. Austin
Signee) led off the inning with a line drive double that went over the right
fielder. Brook Usher tried to bunt Tara to 3rd but was thrown out at first by
the third baseman, Katy Fortune. Kristina Sheppard (2003 Graduate) then hit a
deep fly to the center fielder who got the glove on the ball but dropped it.
Tara scored on the play giving Houston Power a 1-0 lead. Kristina reached 2nd
base on the play. Callye Williams (Mississippi State University Signee)
then flied out to the left fielder and
then the next batter struck-out for out No. 3.
In the 6th inning, the first batter struck-out for Eclipse. Tara Hamilton hit a
grounder to
short stop who threw her out at 1st base. Katie Fortune hit a single up the
middle. Katie was
left stranded when Jessica Oberhelman hit a grounder to 3rd baseman who threw
her out at first for out No. 3.
Laura Hess (Houston Baptist Signee) pitched the whole game for Houston Power.
Laura struck-out three batters, walked one batter and scattered 4 hits.
Elizabeth Fuentes (2004 Graduate) from Kingwood pitched the whole game for the
Eclipse. Elizabeth had two strike-outs, walked none and scattered two hits. Both
hits were doubles.
Tara Hersey and Kristina Sheppard led the Houston Power hitting attack. Tara hit
a line drive over the head of the right fielder for a double in the 5th inning.
Kristina hit the fly in the 5th inning that scored Tara. Kristina also hit a fly
in the gap between center and right field for a double in the 3rd inning.
Katie Fortune, Donnell Sousley (from Lake Jackson), Kelly Karsnia and Elizabeth
Fuentes led Eclipse offensively with singles. Donnell Sousley executed a perfect
push bunt to the right side of the in field for a single in the 2nd inning.
Kelly Karsnia bunted for a single in the 2nd inning. Elizabeth singled between
the short stop and the second base bag in the 5th inning. Katie Fortune singled
up the middle in the 6th inning.
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