The Alabama Thunderbolts 2023 Sherman/Burke team started off the fall season with an impressive 8-0 run to win the DC Elite Productions Stars Over Alabama title this weekend.
The Bolts pitching staff consisting of University of South Alabama verbal Ryley Harrison, Auburn verbal Chalea Clemmons and 2024 uncommitted Ava Smith was dominant, posting a team ERA of 0.656 with six shutouts while the offense banged out eight home runs (four by Harrison alone!) with eight doubles and a .324 overall batting average.
“We definitely got off to a nice start to the season,” Bolts coach Chris Sherman said. “This team is loaded with talent. We have 10 D1 verbals and they played like it this weekend against some very talented teams. It’s a very fun group to coach and we can’t wait to see what they do the rest of the fall.”
Here is the list of games won by the Thunderbolts in its first fall tournament… note that after starting the tourney off with five errors but still pulling out a win, the Bolts then outscored opponents 42-3 over the next seven games with six of them being shutouts:
- W 7-6 vs MoJo – Arnold
- W 1-0 vs Alabama Impact – Davis/Segrest
- W 5-0 vs EC Bullets – Helinski
- W 6-0 vs Alabama Batbusters – Knighton
- W 2-0 vs Birmingham Mustangs 04
- W 9-0 be Birmingham Mustangs
- W 16-3 vs All Out 04
- W 3-0 vs Alabama Impact – Davis/Segrest
In the opening game, Ava Smith (2024) and Clemmons split time in the circle only allowing one earned run. Clemmons led the team at the plate with a 2-for-2 performance and a home run. Nora Megenity (Colgate University) was 2-for-2 and Caitlyn Gavin (University of South Alabama) added a hit.
Game 2 saw the Bolts face off with a strong Alabama Impact – Davis/Segrest team that features Auburn verbal commit pitcher Blayne Godfrey. It was a pitching duel that the Bolts came out on top of 1-0. Clemmons went two innings allowing no runs, one hit and two K’s and Ryley Harrison (University of South Alabama) pitched the two scoreless innings with three K’s to close the game.
Emily Mizelle (University of South Alabama), Megan Davidson (Mississippi State) and Harrison all doubled in the game while Megenity added a single.
In Game 3 the Thunderbolts defeated EC Bullets – Hecklinski 5-0 behind Hope Tucker’s (Alabama-Birmingham) two-hit performance at the plate. Harrison doubled while Clemmons, Edy Gavin (uncommitted), Davidson and Caitlyn Gavin (South Alabama) all singled. Ava Smith went two scoreless innings in the circle with two Ks while Harrison added one perfect inning with three strikeouts.
The Bolts – Sherman/Burke squad next won 6-0 next over Batbusters 05 – Knighton as Harrison homered while Megenity, Clemmons, Mackenzie Bowling (Tennessee-Martin), Caitlyn Gavin and Edy Gavin singled. Clemmons had five K’s through two one-hit innings and Smith pitched the final two innings allowing no runs and no hits.
The Bolts knocked off two different Birmingham Mustangs teams 2-0 and 9-0 next in Games 5 & 6 as Edy Gavin homered and Harrison added another bomb while pitchers Clemmons, Smith and Harrison tossed two more shutouts.
In the game before the championship (Game 7), the Bolts came out of the gates on fire against a good All Out 04 team scoring nine runs in the top of the first inning on their way to a 16-3 win. Emily Mizelle was 3-for-4 with a grand slam and seven RBIs while Harrison homered twice. Emmorie Burke was 2-for-2 with a double and Davidson and Edy Gavin also added two hits while Megenity and Tucker had one hit each.
Clemmons went the distance in the circle picking up six strikeouts.
In the DC Elite Productions Stars Over Alabama Championship Game, the Bolts squared off with Alabama Impact – Davis/Segrest again, this time facing Auburn verbal Godfrey and Alabama verbal Brya Hodges in the circle.
The Bolts won 3-0 as Harrison was able to out-duel the Impacts strong and talented pitching staff. Harrison scattered four hits over five innings and struck out four in the complete game shutout. Mizelle, Caitlyn Gavin and Hope Tucker all had hits for the Bolts
“Great game against two great teams that have mutual respect for each other. I’m sure both teams got better by playing each other and it was fun to watch,” Sherman said
Up next: the Bolts head to Orlando for the PGF Show Me the Money tournament this weekend (Oct 21-23).
“We are looking forward to competing in Orlando. We have a few kids out with ACTs, but this should be a fun trip with great competition,” Sherman added.
