Shrugging off a disappointing loss from the week before, the Nevada Comets 12-year-old softball squad gained a measure of revenge by defeating Nevada Lightning in the finals of an ASA Junior Olympic Pacific Challenge Series Qualifer this past weekend in Sparks.
The Comets won four straight games on Sunday, capped by a 3-2 victory over the Lightning in the championship game at Don Mello Sports Complex.
Taylor Ker hit a two-run triple, Cassie Vondrak pitched the distance and Kelly McKeegan made a diving catch in the outfield to end the title game victory for the Comets, who lost to the Lightning in the semifinals of the Carson City Capitol Qualifier one week before.
Defense was one of the keys to success this time, according to coach Alan Vondrak.
"Defensively, Ashley Collier at second, Haily Gadsby at second, Courtney Darby at first, Taylor Ker at catcher and Erica McKenzie at shortstop, they made some unbelievable plays," Vondrak said. "This team as a whole deserves a lot of credit."
For example, Ker picked off six base runners from behind the plate during the tournament.
Ker hit 2-for-3 with a triple in the championship game, while Becky Moore, McKeegan, Gadsby, Collier and Darby contributed one hit each.
McKenzie went 3-for-4 while Ker and Collier had two hits each to help the Comets defeat the Reno Heat in the semifinals. McKeegan pitched the distance for the win.
Earlier on Sunday, Cassie Vondrak pitched two shutouts as the Comets advanced in championship bracket. She twirled a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts as the Comets beat the Delta Diamonds 11-0. Vondrak followed that with a three-hitter and struck out four as the Comets blanked the Grants Pass (Ore.) Blaze 3-0.
The team's bats came alive against the Diamonds as Gadsby hit 3-for-3 with two triples, Nikole Whitney was 2-for-3 with a grand slam home run, Collier 2-for-2, Darby 2-for-3 with a triple and Vondrak 2-for-3. Against the Blaze, McKeegan and Gadsby both hit 2-for-3.
COMETS 14-YEAR-OLDS
A four-run fifth inning rally was the difference Sunday when the River City Cats from Sacramento, Calif., came from behind to defeat the Comets 6-3 in the championship game of the 14-year-old bracket.
The Comets had swept to five straight victories before losing in the final. Samantha Puzey hit 2-for-2, while Dacey Hassey and Cassie Hunt went 2-for-3 to lead a 10-hit attack for the Comets, who took a 2-1 lead to the fifth inning. The Cats took advantage of three walks, a hit batsman and three errors to score their four runs in the fifth. Mallary Darby pitched a three-hitter with seven strikeouts for the Comets in a losing cause.
Darby also pitched the distance as the Comets scored a 5-1 victory against the Folsom (Calif.) Flash in the semifinals. Abbay Fox hit 3-for-3 with two triples, two runs scored and one RBI, while Kayla Sanchez went 2-for-3 with two runs scored for the Comets.
Puzey pitched three innings and Hunt pitched two scoreless innings to earn a save as the Comets defeated the Reno Rush 5-1 Sunday morning. The score was 2-1 when Hunt came on to pitch in the fourth. Jaci Carlsen hit 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs and Breanna Bullentini contributed a single in that game.
The Comets scored in double digits while winning four straight games on Saturday.
They won their opener 11-0 over Rohnert Park (Calif.) behind Britton Murdock's 3-for-4 hitting performance which included a home run and triple. Darby and Puzey combined to pitch the shutout.
Hunt pitched a two-hitter for the Comets in their 14-1 win over the Placer Gold from California. Sanchez, who won gold medals in the 100 meters and both hurdles races for Carson Middle School at the Tah-Neva League Championships track and field meet last week, hit 3-for-3 and scored two runs in that game. Amanda Collier and Hunt also contributed two hits each.
Darby pitched a one-hitter as the Comets defeated the Napa Valley Screamers 9-0. Fox went 2-for-3 with a home run, double and three RBIs, while Puzey, Hunt and Sanchez chipped in with two hits each.
And in their final game on Saturday, Puzey hit and pitched the Comets to a 12-4 win over the Fallon Scorpions. Puzey hit 3-for-3 with a double and she pitched three-hit ball to pick up the win. Justine Cooper hit 3-for-4 with a double, while Hassey and Murdock contributed two hits each.
The 14-year-old Comets travel to Phoenix, Ariz., this weekend for an ASA national qualifier. They are also scheduled to play in two Lake Tahoe tournaments and a tournament in Colorado during the month of June.
