Magic 10C Silver Weekly Highlights Summer 2011

Magic 10C Silver Team

Watsonville Strawberry Jam Tournament - July 16th and 17th

MAGIC 10C SILVER TAKES SECOND IN "B" DIVISION AT STRAWBERRY JAM!

The girls of 10C Magic Silver's crescendo of steady improvement and joy of the game came to an exciting conclusion this weekend in the season finale at the Strawberry Jam Tournament in Watsonville, where for the first time they made it as far as a Championship Game.  With speedy baserunner Ruhi Christie and pitchers Audrey Gunski and Sarah Lasher unable to attend, the prospects for the team's participation in a tournament would have seemed daunting for some coaches.  But Coaches Tom, Joe, and Adrienne welcomed the challenge and jumped at the chance to get their kids the kinds of playing opportunities many had not yet experienced this season, even declining the offer to bring in outside reinforcements.  By getting the players some exposure to different positions during several practices, as well as a two-game friendly the week prior to the tournament, the team was ready and eager to compete at game time Saturday.

Silver's first game of the tournament was against the BH Thunder, with Hadley Sprague taking the circle for Magic. On Saturday, Sprague replicated the no-hitter she'd thrown the week before, and Magic Silver walked away with an 8-0 shutout, thanks to the outstanding teamwork and aggressive offense.  The girls took advantage of every baserunning opportunity, whether provided by walks, dropped third strikes, or big rips off the explosive bats of hitters like Hailey Doty and McKenna Walsworth, who went five for seven over the weekend, not to mention her outstanding performance as the team's catcher for all four games. Miranda Hunter beat out an infield blooper and wasted no time stealing her way around to third base.  Her attempt at a delayed steal at home gave the crowd a thrill and let our opponents know there was no good time to let their guard down.  Ashlie Pak gave the team some insurance when she drove in Yurochko and Sprague, and Natalie Mercik continued to enhance her reputation as a clutch hitter this weekend by coming through with hits for extra bases just when her team needed it the most.  By the time the dust had settled on Game 1, Branham Hills had sent a total of 10 batters to the plate.  One of them got out of a full count with a walk.  Two of them were retired by the impressive defense of Emma Yurochko at second base, and Sprague struck out the other seven.

The second game of the day was against the San Ramon Stompers, with Miranda Hunter getting to see her first action as a pitcher this season.  Bolstered by the unwavering support of her teammates and coaches, Hunter rose to the occasion and retired the top of their lineup in order, including a strikeout and a well-executed catch by Jordan Pache, who was enjoying the chance to try playing second base.  The Magic followed up by putting pressure on the Stompers with Pache and Nicole Ventimiglia getting on base, but were not able to cash in this time around, making it a scoreless tie after one complete inning.  The second inning was another story, unfortunately, and the Stompers went on a roll with five quick runs.  Hunter impressed her teammates with her gritty performance in the circle, never giving up or getting down, no matter what.  Then it was time for Hailey Doty's pitching debut, who demonstrated the same kind of mental toughness shown by Hunter.  The Magic girls fought valiantly, with key hits from Eleni Bauman, McKenna Walsworth, and Virginia Herr, but the score after two complete innings and time running out was 10-1.  Hadley Sprague came in to pitch the final inning and got a couple of strikeouts, and the Magic gave it everything they had right up to the end, finishing the day with one win and one loss.  But the most inspirational play of the day had to be the gutsy performance of #26, Nicole Ventimiglia.  Going after an inside fastball cost her a ruptured tendon on an index finger, but that didn't keep her from racing to first base and beating it out to give her team a much-needed baserunner before being rushed off to the hospital. Then, after spending much of the night in the ER and unable to play with her finger splinted and her hand wrapped, she was back first thing Sunday to rejoin her teammates in the dugout as the Silver's loudest cheerleader.

Sunday's opening game put the Magic up against the Spirit of Morgan Hill, and the Silver girls had their sights set on going all the way in the 'B' Division.  With Hadley Sprague back in the circle for the rest of the tournament, Morgan Hill managed just one base hit for the game, due in no small part to stellar defensive plays such as the bunt Natalie Mercik charged in on from first base, catching the runner by surprise just before she could score from third base.  Sprague also helped her cause with a couple of putouts at first as well as third base.  This left the outcome of the game up to the Magic bats, and they didn't disappoint.  Alexis McGrath maintains one of the team's highest on-base-percentages, resulting from exceptional strike zone discipline, and with solid hits from Virginia Herr, McKenna Walsworth, Hailey Doty, and Miranda Hunter, helped along with a few walks and some fearless baserunning, the Magic Silver earned their way to the Championship Game with a fine 7-1 victory.

This was the deepest the team had been in any tournament all season, and the players were pumped up.  The Cabrillo Crushers looked the part, including the most intimidating pitcher Magic had faced all weekend.  This was going to be the kind of game a Championship Game is supposed to be, with ups and downs and a few lead changes.  After three complete innings, and only enough time for one more, the Magic Silver was out in front by a score of 4-2.  In fact, the Stompers went down that inning with a total of exactly three pitches: a grounder to Herr at shortstop, a bunt bare-handed by Sprague, and a dribbler to second base fired over to first by Yurochko.

But it was not to be.  An unfortunate series of uncharacteristic miscues opened the door to six quick runs for the Stompers, who then closed the deal with four strikeouts (dropped third strike), making it an 8-4 loss for Magic Silver.  The sudden turn of events was undoubtedly a heartbreaker, but only for as long as it took the team to realize how far they had come in a very short time, taking second place in the 'B' Division of a tournament they weren't even expected to be able to compete in.  By the time the girls walked off the grounds into the sunset that afternoon, their heads were held high, and so were their long-awaited trophies.

The Magic 10C Silver team roster:

Eleni Bauman, Ruhi Christie, Hailey Doty, Audrey Gunsky, Virginia Herr, Miranda Hunter, Sarah Lasher, Alexis McGrath, Natalie Mercik, Jordan Pache, Ashlie Pak, Hadley Sprague, Nicole Ventimiglia, McKenna Walsworth, and Emma Yurochko