To have a realistic chance of winning this weekend's ASA 18-and-under National Qualifier softball
tournament, the Killeen Comets had to win their first two games.
It didn't happen.
The Comets, who were eliminated Saturday by the Beaumont Kaos 7-2, finished the weekend with two
straight losses and were among the first three entrants of the 19-team field to be ousted.
The tournament, which continues today at the Rodney
J. Evans complex at Fort Hood, offers a berth
to the ASA Nationals in Marietta, GA., on Aug. 3. The championship game is slated for 2:30 pm.
Killeen, which dropped its tournament opener to the Austin Red Storm 8-0 on Friday, was
faced with the unenviable task of having to win nine straight games through the losers' bracket in order to win
the championship.
The Beaumont Kaos however, had the same intention- and quickly gained the upper hand on
Killeen with a four-run outburst in the first inning.
RBI singles from Danielle Beaubien and Dawn Thomas sparked the rally, which was aided by two walks
from Comet starter Ashley Newman.
Beaumont struck again in the second inning, when Davy Valenzuela reached on an error by Killeen first
baseman Olivia Ramos. Valenzuela advanced two bases on a sacrifice bunt from Holly Yurchick when the
Comets neglected to cover third, and later scored on a fielder's choice.
"We have a new team and our girls are still getting used to each other, which probably contributed to
(the bad start)," Killeen coach Kasey Blomquist said. "We have a young team with a lot of 15 and 16-year
olds, and they're going to make mistakes."
Coasting with a 5-0 lead in the third inning, Beaumont switched starting pitcher Kristen Atkinson to
left field for Thomas--and Killeen took full advantage.
Greeting Thomas with base hits from Hasina Trotter and Katrina Davis, the Comets closed the gap to
5-2 on a two-run single from Jenna Reblin.
Atkinson returned to the mound in the fourth inning however, and shut out Killeen the rest of the
way.
"I think (Beaumont) thought that they had the game won so they tried to get another pitcher in,"
Blomquist said. "But you can't take us for granted, because this team is never going to give up."
Beaumont extended its lead to 7-2 in the fifth, when Beaubien tripled home Atkinson, who had reached
on a fielder's choice. Beaubien scored one play later, when Margeaux LaFleur grounded out to the
short stop.
Killeen's final offense threat came in the sixth, when Amanda Guptill walked with one out. But following
a strike-out by Ramos, Newman hit a slow roller to second base where Guptill was forced out to end the
inning.
"We played better today than we did (Friday)
and that gave our girls a big self-esteem boost," Blomquist said.
"It's a fun group of girls to be around and I'll have most of them back next year."
Offensive leaders for Killeen were Reblin, Davis, Jessica Ramos, Olivia Ramos, and Trotter--all of who were 1-for-3
at the plate.
Atkinson earned the win on the mound, scattering five hits through six innings of work, while striking out five.
Newman, who was relieved by Reblin in the sixth, took the loss.
In other action, the Houston Storm and the Houston Intruders advanced to the winner's bracket final.
The Storm whipped Texas City Stars 7-1, and edged the Houston Impact 1-0.
The Intruders defeated the Austin Vipers 4-2; and Lafayette, La., 1-0.
Loser's bracket survivors included the Houston Power and the Katy Express.
The Power advanced with wins over the Austin Silver Travelers 4-2; the Magnolia Eclipse 5-2; the
Austin Vipers 10-2; and the Texas Force 5-0.
Katy defeated the Tomball Hawks 1-0; and the Texas City Stars 4-3 to remain alive.
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