By Dave Utnik Midland, TX.--- The players hail from virtually every


corner of the state. They travel for hours just to practice. Wearing a Lasers Gold uniform is something of an honor


in Ohio. And that was true long before the 14U squad captured the 2011 ASA Girls Class A National Championship. Now it's the epitome of cool. For several years now, Lasers Gold has been an


organization on the rise in fastpitch softball. It all began with a Pony National Championship in 2007 and just kept building until all the promise and potential came together during one remarkable week in Texas in early August. That's when the year-round commitment the girls made to


one another truly paid off and Lasers Gold became the first team from Ohio to win an ASA national title in any age division. "We entered the week wanting to make history. We were


a team that played together as one to the highest degree," coach Steve Gambone said. Lasers Gold doesn't enter a tournament with designs on


anything except winning a first-place trophy. Often they'll play up an age division or two just for the sake of the challenge. But the plan is to always win and they have become quite


good at it. The Lasers' 16U team had quite a summer, too - - placing fifth at ASA Nationals in Tennessee. Nothing, however, has ever compared to what the 14U


squad accomplished when it battled out of the losers' bracket to defeat the Tennessee Fury, 3-0 and 10-4 in the ASA finals. "The best finish for our organization until this year was


ninth place two different times," Gambone said. All that changed when Kristen Adkins pitched a two-


hit shutout against the previously undefeated Fury and then the Lasers scored seven runs in a sixth-inning rally to win the finale. "Some big time college coaches told me we had the


best pitching, defense and hitting at the tournament," Gambone said. The heart of the order has been together for six years


now and it shows. Kori Caughenbaugh led the Lasers with a .500 batting average during the week. Adkins, who hit a pair of homers, finished with a .458 average. Caitlin Gambone, who bats second, had a .435 average


and Kennedy Beach batted. 432. Clean-up hitter Taylor Kirian hit .400 and there were some very memorable at-bats throughout the week, including a grand slam by pitcher Shelby McCombs on Sunday and a two-run homer by Emily Clark against the Fury. "Our lineup has always gotten it done offensively,"


Gambone said. "We can get it done a variety of different ways offensively." Rallies traditionally start with Sidney Melton, who can


slap, bunt and hit for power out of the leadoff spot. At one time or another, the Lasers also receiving clutch hits from Kelly Dillow, Jordan Kennaw and Maranda Stansbery, who made her travel ball debut this summer. "It's every girl's dream that plays fastpitch softball to win


ASA Nationals" Gambone said. "My 11 girls are very honored to be the first in our organization to do it."


Firecrackers (Brashear) from Chino, CA went 67-2-2 overall, including a 9-0 record at the ASA Nationals. 13


The 14U Laser Gold from Canton, OH will go down in ASA Softball history for being the first team from Ohio to capture a ASA National Championship.


Firecrackers Light up ASA Girls


12U National Championship Montgomery, AL --- Arissa Paulson kept putting the ball


where nobody could hit it. Low and away was her target and the Firecrackers' ace never missed in leading her team to the ASA Girls Class A 12U National Championship. Paulson tossed back-to-back 4-0 shutouts against


Victory USA at Lagoon Park. Opponents kept swinging -- and mostly missing. After moving from Ohio to join the Firecrackers 12U


team from Chino Hills, CA., Paulson was nearly perfect in the pitcher's circle. She followed a nine-inning shutout performance by throwing a no-hitter in the championship game. The Firecrackers were already a pretty good team before


Paulson arrived. But this was unquestionably their best summer ever. They went 67-2-2 overall, including a 9-0 record at nationals, where they scored 45 runs and allowed only one in wins over Texas Peppers, TPS, Georgia Impact, Team Rawlings, Homer Hawks, Tri County Smash and


Victory USA. Paulson allowed one base runner in the finals -- on an


error. Nobody else came close to reaching. The final seven batters went down in order. That in itself was a rare feat against a Victory USA team


that is accustomed to contending for championships. The 2011 finale marked the program's third straight top-five national finish. The 10U squad won a championship in 2009 and the 12U squad was fifth in 2010. The Firecrackers weren't intimidated by that tradition. They rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to beat


Victory USA in the final Saturday game of the weekend and then returned to the field for the title game on Sunday with Paulson back in the circle. She was their biggest advantage, though Yvonne


Siordia shared the spotlight with a tremendous game at the plate. She went 3-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and wound up knocking in three runs. That was far more than Paulson needed to secure the national championship.


Softball Today • August 2011


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