Effingham Heat 16U Win NSA Qualifier

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Published on June 26 2014 6:13 am
Last Updated on June 27 2014 2:26 am
Written by Millie Lange

Members of the team are, front row, left to right,  Alexis sullivan, Kaylee Tonn, Madison Weis and Cheyanne Moan. Back row, left to right, Hannah Dulaney, Olivia Hickey, Heidi Clements, Hope Collier, Becca Schlechte and Jenna Wright.

The Effingham Heat Girls 16U competed in the Charleston Chill Summer Slam NSA qualifier last weekend and came away with a first place finish. The Heat qualified for the NSA World Series later this summer in Michigan City Ind.

The Heat defeated the Illiniana Sparks from the Danville area in the championship game, scoring in the bottom of the seventh for the 6-5 win. Madison Weis led off the bottom half of the inning with a double that just missed leaving the park. Kaylee Tonn then laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Weis to third. Becca Schlectte came up with a hard hit ball that went off the pitcher's glove, scoring Weis.

"We didn't always play well this weekend but the girls came through when they needed to," said Coach Jeff Tonn.

The Heat won their first game against the Mattoon Cobra 3-0. Hits came from Madison Weis, Olivia Hickey, Kaylee Tonn, Jenna Wright, Alexis Sullivan, all with a single each and Hannah Dulaney with a double.

In game two the Heat bats were silent, with hits from Tonn with a single and Sullivan with a double. The Heat wasn't able to put a run on the board, losing 11-0.

In game three the Heat took on the Champaign Blue Ice, winning 12-2. Tonn had a big game going three-for-three with two singles and a double, scoring twice. Also having a good game was Heidi Clements with two singles. She also scoring twice. Other hits were by Hickey, Hope Collier, Schlectte,Wright, Dulaney and Cheyanne Moan, all with a single each.

In the next game, the Heat took on the Shecats from Marshall, winning 9-0. With a run in the first, four in the second and four more in the fifth, the Heat were in control from the start. With the combination of good pitching and good defence, the Heat never allowed a runner past second base. The Heat stayed hot at the plate having 13 hits, Alexis Sullivan led the way with three singles followed by Jenna Wright and Becca Schlectte with two singles apiece Hope Collier with a double and Hickey, Tonn, Dulaney, Clements and Moan, all with a single each.

That set up a matchup with Illinana, the Heat came out with the 9-1 victory sending them to the losers bracket, 9-1.

"It was most impressive because they really beat on us the first game and the girls came back and responded well," said Tonn.

The Heat once again came out swinging, adding 12 hits to their total for the weekend. At the plate Collier had two singles and a double to lead the way. Tonn had a single and double, Dulaney two singles and Weis, Schlechte, Clements,  Wright and  Sullivan, all with a hit apiece.

The Heat then had to wait to see who came out of the losers bracket to know who they would play next. Once again it was the Sparks from the Danville area, and once again the Sparks' pitching shut the Heat down as they only scored one run on six hits. The Heat lost 9-1.

Hits came from Weis and Schlechte with two singles each, Collier with a single and Hickey with a single.

"But we were able to regroup and play what might have been the best game of the weekend as far as both teams playing well," said Tonn. "Wet were on the board in the first, scoring once only to have the Sparks score three in the top of the second. Then we put seven straight hitters on base, scoring four in the bottom of the second to take a 5-3 lead. The Sparks tied the game at five each in the top of the fifth. Then that's when we pushed across the winner.

"We had a girl lead off and get on base. We moved her over with a sacrifice bunt then we had the big hit. I could not have drawn it up any better."

The Heat are next in action this weekend at the Collinsville Extreme tourney. with their game at 7:30 Friday night.