VA Crushers '99 Bring Home 1st Place at the

Potomac River Clash

The Virginia Crushers ’99 Girls Fastpitch Softball team brought home the championship in their first tournament of the year, winning the USSSA Potomac River Clash and qualifying for the USSSA World Series in Orlando, Fl.  The Crushers swept to a 3-0-1 record, outscoring their opponents 21-6.  The Crusher’s were led in the circle by Emily Weatherholtz, throwing 3 complete games while allowing only 1 hit and 1 run.

The Crushers opened up with a 7-0 win over the Chantilly Lace.  Leah Shipp reached base 3 times scoring on all three occasions and Diane Anders and Julia Sinnett each had extra base hits to lead the Crusher offense.  Weatherholtz shut down the Lace offence with 10 strikeouts over 5 innings with no walks.  

In game 2, the Crushers faced off against a tough Loudoun Storm team.  The Storm fought hard, carrying a one run lead into the final innings.  In the top half of the fifth, Sydney Fisher reached on a walk.  After stealing second, Leah Shipp drove in the teeing run with a two out double.  Sinnett and Anders also had extra base hits for the Crusher offense.  

In the first elimination game, the Crushers took on the SYA Xplosion.  Weatherholtz was again in the circle, throwing a perfect 4 innings with 7 strikeouts.  The effort gave Emily 9 perfect innings over the course of the day, not allowing a single runner to reach base.  A two RBI double by Serenity Stewart led the Crusher offense, scoring 4 runs in the 3^rd inning after back to back hits by Morgan Blot and Leah Shipp.  

For the championship, the Crushers were once again matched against the Chantilly Lace.  Despite singles by Blot and Shipp, the Crushers could not get a run through until the 3^rd inning.  In the 3^rd, the Crushers got back to back hits from Erin Jones and Sydney Fisher, putting 3 runs on the board.  Diane Anders later drove in Morgan Blot for an insurance run in the 5^th.  In the circle, Emily Weatherholtz continued her exceptional pitching performance for the weekend, allowing only 1 run in a no hit performance.  Emily struck out 13 Lace hitters across 6 innings.  For the weekend, Emily pitched 3 complete games, going 3-0 including 2 perfect games and a no hitter.   She struck out 30 batters in 15 innings pitched while issuing only 2 walks and giving up a single run.  The Crushers next tournament is the NSA Play for a Cure (Breast Cancer Awareness) tournament held in Sterling, Va.