YSB: Center 10U All-Stars excel at state tourney
10U Tournament in McKinney last weekend are (front row, from left) Katelyn
Bolton and Maddie Russell, along with (back row) LaJada Hicks, Hailey Haddox,
Katie Nehring, Madelyn Eaves, Cassidy Sanford, Chasity Ellington, Lacey Felder
and Tionna Eberlan. (Photo courtesy of Chad Nehring)
Braving the heat and the wind - not to mention the tough competition - of the state's best in 10-and-under softball, the Center All-Stars produced three impressive wins before taking their second loss and being eliminated from the Texas Amateur Softball Association (ASA) North 10U State Tournament held at McKinney last weekend.
According to Center coach Chad Nehring, the all-stars put up a valiant effort in the tourney, fighting through the heat and overcoming the test of minimum rest to overcome their opponents and make him, the parents and Center fans proud during the three-day event, which began Friday and ran through Sunday.
The Center girls opened tourney action on a high note Friday evening against the Celeste Lady Devils. The team played well offensively and defensively, with quality innings from Center pitchers Tionna Eberlan, Chasity Ellington and Hailey Haddox as the squad rolled to a 15-3 victory.
There wasn't much time to celebrate the win as the all-stars had to turn around for an 8 a.m. game in the winners' bracket against a strong Tatum/Carthage squad. Center dropped that game, forcing the squad to drop down to the losers' bracket.
In their third game during the mid-afternoon sweltering heat of 100-plus degree temps and winds of 25 mph on Saturday, Center faced the Lady Braves of Nevada. Chasity Ellington pitched a near perfect complete game for the Center win and the offense was led by LaJada Hicks, who connected with a huge blast to the fence and turned it into an inside the park home run. Lacey Felder was also a major contributor in Center's second win of the tournament as she connected with multiple hits.
This 14-2 victory eliminated Nevada and advanced Center further into the bracket to face a team from Farmersville later Saturday evening.
Center's fourth game of the tourney was a tremendously tense game that went down to the last at-bat. With Tionna Eberlan pitching for Center and the opposing pitcher both having strong performances, the first four innings resulted in a 2-1 lead for Center, including LaJada Hicks hitting her second home run of the tournament.
In the top of the fifth inning, Farmersville scored two runs on a timely hit with a full count and two outs, after the 90-minute time limit had expired.
Center came to bat in the bottom of the fifth trailing 3-2. With two of its first three batters reaching base and the tying run at third, Tionna Eberlan secured the win for Center with a line drive down the left field line, plating two runs with the walk-off double.
With that game finishing near 9:30 p.m., the Center All-Stars didn't have much time to bounce back before an 8 a.m. game Sunday against Atlanta.
Game five for Center ended in an 8-3 loss to Atlanta, despite good performances from all three Center pitchers. A few bad bounces and missed opportunities to score ended the tournament, despite the defensive performance of the tournament from Katelyn Bolton, catching two line drives to deep centerfield, including one that was turned into a double play, according to Nehring. Center finished the tournament with a 3-2 record.
Members of the Center squad include: LaJada Hicks, Hailey Haddox, Katie Nehring, Madelyn Eaves, Cassidy Sanford, Chasity Ellington, Lacey Felder, Tionna Eberlan, Katelyn Bolton and Maddie Russell.
"The girls and parents appreciate all the businesses and individuals that assisted and sponsored this team," Nehring stated. "We all couldn't be more proud of them and their effort not only at the state tournament, but through all their work and play as all-stars. It was a great run."
(Chad Nehring contributed to this story.)