Crushers wrap up fall season with Powhatan Championship
The Virginia Crushers ’99 girls fastpitch softball team wrapped up their 2009 fall season by taking the 2009 Powhatan Fall Classic 10U Championship. The Crushers went 6-0 in the tournament finishing their fall schedule with a 28-0-1 record and five tournament championships. Julia Sinnett led the offense, batting .700 with 8 RBIs as the Crushers outscored their opponents 47 to 9. In the final game for the championship the Crushers faced the Hanover Lady Hornets. The Crushers jumped to a 1-0 lead with a Bailey Mastin hit, driving in Sinnett. The Hornets then exploded for 4 runs in the 3rd on 5 successive hits with 2 outs. The Crushers struck back in the fourth with Emily Weatherholtz delivering a key run producing hit. Going into the 7th and final inning the Crushers trailed 5-4. With bases loaded Weatherholtz lined out to the pitcher, but the throw to pick off Leah Shipp at third went wild, and the Crushers sent home two runners to take a 6-5 lead. Shipp then finished off the top of the order with a pair of strikeouts and the final out, a ground ball to 1B Morgan Blot.
The trail to the championship begin on Saturday as the Crushers went 3-0 in pool play. Against the Virginia Devil Dogs the Crushers scored 6 runs in the 2nd with RBI hits by Alexa Meidt, Diane Anders and Leah Shipp. Emily Weatherholtz shut down the Devil Dogs with a no hit performance, striking out 9.
Against the Richmond Rush, Amanda Beane and Bailey Mastin had RBI singles and Madison Hool scored twice to highlight a 10 run first inning and an eventual 12-0 victory. Shipp and Sydney Fisher combined for 3 perfect innings in the circle, striking out 7 while allowing no Rush hitters to reach base. In the final pool game the Crushers faced a tough Williamsburg Starz team. Erin Jones scored twice for the Crushers and Morgan Blot blasted a key 3 run double deep into centerfield to lead the 7-0 win. Shipp shut down the Starz hitters surrendering only one hit with 9 strikeouts.
The Crushers faced the Smithfield Galaxy on Sunday. A tough pitchers duel, Serenity Stewart drove in Diane Anders in the 2nd to give the Crushers a 1-0 lead. The Galaxy fought back, getting baserunners but the Crushers defense prevented any runners from crossing the plate despite numerous threats including bases loaded with no outs in the fourth. The effort was highlighted by Sydney Fishers catch of a powerful shot to centerfield in the sixth. To reach the championship game the Crushers faced the RBI Inferno. Despite a good effort by Emily Weatherholtz in the circle, the Inferno struck for 3 runs on miscues from the Crusher defense. The Crushers came back in the bottom half with 3 runs of their own. The Crushers then struck for 5 more runs in the 2nd for the 8-3 win to advance to the championship game.
For the fall season, the Crushers finished with 28 wins and 1 tie and won 5 tournament championships. Julia Sinnett and Diane Anders led the hitters batting 404. Sinnett and Leah Shipp each had 25 RBIs and Shipp and Erin Jones scored 32 runs apiece to lead the scoring. Jones led with 13 stolen bases. Sydney Fisher, Leah Shipp, and Emily Weatherholtz combined for a .89 ERA and stuck out 258 of the 470 batters they faced allowing only 32 runs in 29 games with 9 shutouts. The Crusher offense put up 229 runs. The Crushers now have a coupe of months off before beginning winter workouts and preparing for the 2010 spring season as they continue their march to the 2010 NSA World Series.