The squad then faced the Renegades who had to


beat the Firecrackers twice in order to advance to the title game. The Renegades beat the Firecrackers in the first game and had them down 4-1 in the sixth inning of the second before Morales hit a three-run blast to tie the contest. The battle went nine innings with the Firecrackers


capturing the contest, 6-5. Tera Blanco went the distance for the win. Going to the international tie-breaker in the


eighth inning, the Firecrackers did not score in the top of the frame. The Firecrackers walked the first hitter in the


bottom of the eighth to set up a force-out situation. The Renegades' next hitter faked the bunt and took a half- swing, hitting a soft line drive to second baseman DeWitt who made a diving catch and then doubled off the runner on second base to end the inning. Anissa Urtez got the game-winning RBI in the ninth to give the Firecrackers the victory. In the championship contest, with Tera Blanco


The 16U Firecrackers beat the Texas Glory 5-0 to win the Premier Girls Fastpitch National Championship.


By Kevin Beese Contributor


Irvine, CA. --- With a core group of players together for


just a year, Jeff Blanco knew he had something special when the former Bomb Squad team finished 13th in last year's Amateur Softball Association nationals. Adding a few key players made the difference and put


the squad, which became the Firecrackers, in contention for the National Premier Girls Fastpitch Championship. Taking third in this year's Colorado Fireworks


Tournament and fifth in the Champions Cup only further fueled the expectations for this team. “I knew that we had a talented enough team to


compete in a tournament like this,” Blanco said of the PGF competition. “But it is not always the best team that wins. You've got to win extra inning games and get two-out hits. We did all the little things to help us win. We put it together. We had our backs to the wall a couple times and found ways to get it done. We never quit.” In fact, the Firecrackers started out with their backs


to wall in their opening contest against Mizuno Pride. Trailing 1-0 early in the game, the squad put together a total team effort, highlighted by Tera Blanco's two home runs. Heather Morales was the winning pitcher in the 11-3 triumph. Amanda Sanchez led the Firecrackers with seven runs


batted in during the squad's 9-1 victory over TNL. Sanchez's three-run homer and grand slam gave winning pitcher Blanco more than enough run support. The squad then blanked Mizuno Impulse 10-0. Homers


from Amanda Vargas, Krystal Gutierrez and Blanco lead the way offensively. Blanco picked up her second consecutive


The 14U OC Batbusters (McNee) beat the Corona Angels (KK) to win the Premier Girls Fastpitch 14U National Championship.


For more information on the Premier Girls Fastpitch please visit their website at www.premiergirlsfastpitch.com.


9


victory in the contest. “The offense really came through for us in this tournament,” Jeff Blanco said. Tera Blanco then won a hard-earned, 10-inning contest


over the Southern California Athletics. Nicole DeWitt got the game-winning RBI in the 5-3 triumph. Morales took the pitching circle again against Cal Lite


and picked up the 9-4 victory. “Amanda (Sanchez) and Heather (Morales) stood out in the tournament,” Coach Blanco said. Offensively, the Firecrackers again powered their way


to victory. Gutierrez hit a three-run homer, while Tera Blanco added a two-run blast of her own.


having gone nine innings the previous game, the ball was given to Morales, who held Texas Glory scoreless for 6 2/3 innings. Tera Blanco came in to record the final out of the contest with the bases loaded. All of the Firecrackers' pop came in the top of the fourth inning when Tera Blanco led off the inning with a base hit. Sanchez walked, and Morales drove in the first run of the game with a double. Vargas doubled in Nikki Oviedo, who had entered the game as a courtesy runner for Sanchez, and Morales. With two outs in the inning, Cassidy Gustafson


homered with Vargas aboard to given the Firecrackers a 5-0 lead – and that is how the contest ended. Jeff Blanco expressed his appreciation to


program head Tony Rico for the ability to coach this group of girls.


Softball Today • August 2011


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