RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
Get on board with Extra Inning Softball’s regular feature, The Last Inning.
We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.
To contribute information, insights, thoughts or content ideas, email us at [email protected]. You can also send items/story ideas to Carlos Arias via email at [email protected] or via Twitter @Los_Stuff.
Here’s our TLI for Thursday, July 30, 2020 …
****
USA SOFTBALL JUNIOR OLYMPIC CUP HIGHLIGHTS
IN 18U SEMIFINALS:
Windermere Wildfire-Paulson 3, Carolina Cardinals-Chandler 2: Bryce Adkinson drove in Chrissy Fleming with a sacrifice fly to left field in the top of the seventh as the Wildfire, which got knocked into the loser’s bracket on Tuesday, beat the Cardinals in the Bracket A semifinals to force the “If” game.
Windermere Wildfire-Paulson 11, Carolinda Cardinals-Chandler 2: Playing in their fifth game of the day, Olivia Lipari and Jadeyn Ruszkowski both belted three-run homers to help the Wildfire beat the Cardinals and earn a spot in the JO Cup title game.
Atlanta Vipers-Ray/Trowell 2, LLG DPS-Corn 1: McKenzie White went 3 for 3 with a double and an RBI and Haley Ann Frank went 2 for 3 with a run scored as the Vipers beat LLG to force the “If” game in the Bracket B semifinals.
LLG DPS-Corn 4, Atlanta Vipers-Ray/Trowell 1: Karli Godwin went 1 for 3 with a double, a run scored and two RBIs and Malaka Belser went 2 for 2 with two RBIs to help LLG bounce back and beat the Vipers to earn its spot in the JO Cup finals.
“We looked strong today, great mound presence strong defense,” LLG coach John Corn said. “We’ve been disciplined at the plate all week. Wildfire is a strong team that hits it well up and down their line-up. We just have to stay clean and keep them from having the big inning.”
LLG will play the Wildfire for the JO Cup 18U championship on Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET at Tyger River Park in Duncan, SC, on MLB.com.
“We know that the Lady Lightning is a very good team,” Wildfire coach George Paulson said. “We are going to have to play very well to beat them. Our magic potion is the same stuff you hear about from teams that have done well. Every player is about what is best for the team, there are no egos, etc. The girls are playing for each other … it’s about love for each other and the team. Other than all that touchy-feely stuff we have to pitch well, play great defense and not beat ourselves.”
IN 16U SEMIFINALS:
Tennessee Mojo 2021 3, Atlanta Vipers-Billings 2: Aubrey Barnhart, Acelynn Sellers and Rose Roach had RBI singles in the bottom of the third as the Mojo rallied from a 2-0 deficit and Lauren Derkowski allowed five hits, two runs and struck out eight to get the complete game win as the Mojo beat the Vipers to force the “If” game in the Bracket A semifinals.
Tennessee Mojo 2021 1, Atlanta Vipers-Billings 0: Riley Hull drove in Auburn Dupree with a double to right field in the top of the fifth and Emerson Aiken and Derkowski combined on a four-hit shutout to help the Mojo beat the Vipers and earn their spot in the JO Cup finals.
“In all honesty, we haven’t played extremely well this week,” Mojo coach Brooks Cherry said. “Our pitching has been strong all week and has kept us in every game. Today, (Michigan-commit) Lauren Derkowski was outstanding. She threw 13 innings, including a seven-inning complete game 3-2 win over Atlanta Vipers to force the ‘if’ game. She had 16 Ks and one walk. Her and (Michigan-commit) Emerson Aiken combined for a 1-0 shut out in (semifinals if game).”
*** Scroll down to read more…