July 7, 2001- In the 2001 ASA State U16-A Championship Tournament in Sugar Land, Beaumont Blast played Texas Tornados from Waco in a Saturday evening Winners Bracket game. The Texas Tornados reached the game by beating Gulf Coast Breakers from Grove Friday night by a score of 6-0. They then beat Poison from Waskom 6-1 Saturday morning. On the other hand,
Beaumont Blast beat Quicksilver from Paris by a score of 8-0 on Friday evening. They defeated East Texas Flash from Tyler Saturday morning 4-1.
After 7 innings the score was 0-0 and the International Tie Breaker rule was used to break the tie in the 8th inning. The pitcher, Brooke Saulters, started the inning at 2nd base. Heather Perry laid done a sacrifice bunt and the Blast 3rd baseman Brittany Tuck was there to pick it up and throw Heather out at 1st. The play moved Brooke to 3rd base. Heather Swindoll also laid down a sacrifice bunt and Tuck threw her out at first also. Brooke scored on the play to put the Tornados up 1-0. Heather Slover then worked the count to full and drew a walk.
Heather moved to 2nd base on a wild pitch to Joni Gatlin. Then Joni hit a long fly to right field beyond the outstretched glove of the Blast right fielder for a triple. The score was 2-0. Laurin Haley then struck out for out number three.
Leslie Hawks started the at bat for Blast at 2nd base. Katie McNeil hit the ball to the pitcher (Brooke Saulters) who then threw to 1st to get the first out. Nikki McCall (1st baseman) then threw to 3rd where Laurin Haley tagged out Leslie for out number two. Shara Smith flied out to the short stop to end the game.
Brooke Saulters pitched the shut-out for the Texas Tornados. She had 4 strike-outs, no walks, hit one batter and gave up 4 hits. Brooke fastball was radar at 61 mph. She threw a screw outside that broke over the plate at 58 mph. She also threw a lot of drops.
Heather Bobbit, Brittany Tuck, Brittany Bryant and Holly Tankersley each got a single for the Beaumont Blast. Heather hit a hard grounder in the 4th inning to the 3rd base side of 2nd base that looked like a clean hit. Heather Slover (short stop) dove and stopped the ball from getting out of the infield. Slover didn't throw to first because Bobbit was already there. Brittany Tuck hit a hard shot between short stop and 3rd base in the 5th inning for a clean single. Brittany hit .500 for the game. She was hit by a pitch in the 2nd inning and then grounded out to the 3rd baseman in the 7th inning. Brittany Bryant led off the 6th inning with a bunt for a single. Holly Tankersley led off the 7th inning with a line drive to left field.
Heather Bobbitt pitched all 8 inning for Beaumont. Heather finished the game with 11 strike-outs and 2 walks. Heather gave up 6 hits. Heather strike-out pitch on several occasions was her rise. She had a change-up and drop. Heather's fastball was radar at 63 mph in the 8th inning. Her change was radar a 49 mph.
Joni Gatlin went 3 for 4 for the Texas Tornados. Joni had a double up the middle in the 2nd inning, a single up the middle in the 7th inning and a triple to right field in the 8th inning.
Heather Perry had a double to left field in the 3rd inning. Heather Swindoll had two singles.
Heather single up the middle in the first inning and single to left field in the 6th inning. Candis Massingill singled up the middle in the 7th inning.
Brittany Tuck made several outstanding plays at 3rd base. In the 2nd inning, Joni Gatlin led off with a double. Laurin Haley put down a sacrifice bunt to advance Joni. Brittany pounced on the bunt, looked at 1st to draw Joni off 2nd base and then turned and ran at her. In the meanwhile,
Dana Gonzalez sneaked in from center field to cover 2nd base. Brittany fired to Dana as Laurin slid back to the bag.
Laurin was called safe. Candiss then put down a sacrifice bunt. Brittany pounced on this bunt and fired to 1st base for the out. Brittany was responsible for all three outs in the 7th inning. In one case she fielded a bunt and slipped falling on her behind and made the throw from there to get the out!
In the 4th inning, Beaumont Blast Dana Gonzalez made a spectacular play. Lauren Haley hit a Texas Leaguer that look like it was going to fall between the infield and outfield and between right field and center field for a base hit. Dana
came from her center field position and dove making the catch.
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