Heat Finishes Third In Tournament

Front row, left to right, Camryn Heuerman, Kaylee Tonn, Olivia Hickey, Alexis Sullivan, Jenna Wright and Coach Dan Woltman.. Back row, left to right, Coach Lindsey VanBlaricum, Coach Jeff Tonn, Jenna Woltman, Hanna Dulaney, Parker Corder, Hope Collier, Shayna Phillips, Kasey Jennings and Coach John Collier.

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The Effingham Heat 14U softball Team competed over the weekend in the ASA 14u State Tourney in Springfield and came away with third place. The tournament field was 52 teams strong and a lot of strong teams from across the state.

The Heat came out in game one with a convincing win over the DGSA Screaming Eagles from Dunlap 11-0. Hope Collier and Kaylee Tonn combined on the one hitter, striking out seven and not allowing a base on balls.
The Heat were strong at the plate hits coming from a number of girls, Hannah Dulaney with two singles; Jenna Woltman, single and triple; Tonn, single and a double; Collier, two doubles; Jenna Wright, single and Parker Corder, single.
 
In game two the Heat faced off against the Princeville Rockets and behind a strong pitching effort from Collier and a total team effort at the plate they were able to pick up a 9-0 win. Collier was strong in the circle striking out 13 while walking four and not allowing a hit. The hits for the Heat came from, Dulaney, single, two doubles; Olivia Hickey, single; Woltman, single, double; Tonn, single; Collier, single; Wright, single; Corder, single, double; Alexis Sullivan, single and Camryn Heuerman, single.
 
In game three, the Heat were up against the Midwest Magic from Quincy, and were able to hold off a late inning run from the Magic to pick up the 10-9 win. Corder picked up the win, striking out five while walking four, allowing 10 hits most of which were late in the game. The Heat jumped out to a 8-0 lead through four but could not seal the deal without making things interesting. The Magic were able the put seven runs on the board in the middle inning only to have the Heat push two across in the top half of the sixth pushing the lead back to three. The Magic the scored two in the bottom of the seventh and had the tying run on the before the Heat were able to get out of the inning to win its third game.
Hits came from, Hickey, single; Woltman, single and two triples; Tonn, two singles; Collier, single; Wright, two doubles; Corder, three doubles; Sullivan, single and Kasey Jennings,double.
 
In game four, the Heat were up against the Lancers from Belleville and picked up the 8-4 win. Collier pitched the win, striking out 15, walking five and allowing nine hits. The Heat were on the board first but not until the third inning when they plated three runs only to see that lead disappear in the fifth when the Lancers scored four runs of their own. The Heat came back to score four in the sixth and one more in the seventh, for the 8-4 win. Hits came from Hannah Dulaney, two singles; Hickey, two singles; Woltman, single; Tonn, single; Collier, single; Wright, single, double; Corder, single; Sullivan, double and Jennings, double.
 
In game five, the Heat were up against the LGSA Jets, and once again came out on top. Corder picked up the win for the Heat striking out two, walking two but only allowing only four hits. After allowing two runs in the top of the first the Heat then scored 15 straight runs to pick up the victory in three innings. The hitting continued to be strong for the Heat with hits coming from Dulaney, single; Hickey, two singles; Woltman, single, double; Tonn, two singles, double; Collier, double; Wright, single; Corder, three singles; Sullivan, two singles and Jennings, double.
 
After starting the weekend with five straight wins the Heat went up against a strong Black Widows team From Collinsville who dealt the Heat their first loss. The Heat jumped on top with one in the first and one in the third but couldn't hold the lead, giving up one in the fourth and then six in the fifth. The Heat was able to rally for three in the bottom of the seventh but came up short taking a 7-5 loss. Hits were from
Dulaney, single, triple; Hickey, single; Woltman, single, double, triple; Tonn, two singles; Collier, two singles; Wright, single; Corder, single and Jennings, double
 
In game seven the Heat went up against the Southern Express,and again fell a little short losing 13-10. The Heat jumped put on top scoring four in the second and three more in the third only to have that lead quickly slip away in the bottom of the third allowing 10 runs to cross the plate. The combination of a few fielding mistakes, walks and a few hits, the Heat had dug a hole they were not able to get out of. The Heat continued to score pushing three more runs across but still fell short. Hits came from Dulaney, single; Hickey, two singles; Woltman, single, double; Tonn, single; Collier, single; Wright, double, single; Corder, single; Sullivan, two singles and Jennings, single, double.
 
Overall we had a great weekend," said Tracey Tonn. "The girls all played very well and I cant say enough about the way we hit the ball. We outhit our opponents 92 to 39, allowed and outscored our opponents 68-35.
The coaches would like to thank the girls for a great weekend and also the great fans that came to support us."
 
The Heat is back in action again Wednesday against the Southern Illinois Bandits at 6 p.m. at the EHS softball field. The Heat also are scheduled to play in NSA World Series July 22-27 in Peoria.