18-Under Gold Championships – A Chance to Test Arizona Recruits
by Andy Morales on Aug. 03, 2009, under SportsUPDATED AUGUST 8, 5:18 PM
With high school opponents behind many of them the time to perform is now. The 18-Under Gold National Championships began Monday in Oklahoma City for 64 teams stocked with NCAA softball talent.
All the recruiting hype was focused on how they did against rival neighborhood schools and how that would translate to college careers. This week will be the true test of talent. They will be pitching to teams with hitters at either end of the lineup and in the middle. No more guaranteed outs. They will be trying to hit against the best of the best.
There are a few athletes with local connections playing:
Stefanie Carramusa (Foothills, 2009) who is playing for AZ Hotshots Gold (Phoenix) and headed to the University of New Mexico.
Brigette DelPonte (Sunrise Mountain, 2009) – Arizona recruit also playing for the Hotshots.
Baillie Kirker (Worth Firecracker Gold) – Arizona recruit from California.
The Firecrackers have been a farm system of sorts for Arizona, sending 15 athletes to play here. Players such as, Lovianne Jung, Leneah Manuma; Sara Akamine and K’Lee Arredondo with Kirker coming this year and Hallie Wilson giving a verbal commitment for 2011.
AZ Desert Thunder Gold brings plenty local talent to the table with Arizona recruits Kenzie Fowler and Becca Tikey with Katie Asher heading to Oklahoma State.
This will be Fowler’s chance on a big stage before the bigger stage. It will also be a chance for UA fans to see the future with what has to be the best recruiting class in America.
In other news, local Salpointe pitching and outfield standout Nicole Rascon’s team, the Hotshots from Phoenix, finished in third place at the 16U level on Sunday. Rascon (2010) will be headed to Yavapai to play for Stacy Iverson in Prescott. She led the team batting .565 including an impressive .700 on Sunday.
The Hotshots won the 16U state championship in July before heading to nationals.
DelPonte went 3-4 with 3 RBIs in her first pool game Monday as the Hotshots went 2-0.
Kirker went 2-3 with an RBI as the Firecrackers went 2-0.
Desert Thunder went 1-1 and will be seeded second when then Championship Brackets come out.
CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET PLAY:
AZ Desert Thunder lost 2-3 to the Beverly Bandits of the Chicago area.
UA recruits Becca Tikey went 2-3 in the loss and Kenzie Fowler gave up 9 hits with 7 strikeouts but only allowed one earned run in the effort. Bandits pitcher, Sara Driesenga (2011) has given a verbal commitment to Michigan. She gave up 8 hits and also allowed only one earned run for the win.
Stefanie Carramusa (Foothills 2009 - New Mexico) collected and RBI and Brigette DelPonte (Arizona) scored as the Hotshot Gold team won again 5-0 over th TC Tremors. They play again Thursday morning in second round action.
The Worth Fircrackers also won on Tuesday but Baillie Kirker (Arizona) did not play.
BRACKET UPDATE:
AZ Desert Thunder comes back with a blast.
Desert Thunder beat the Louisiana Patriots 9-1 in Loser’s Bracket action Wednesday. Shannel Blackshear (Buena, 2009 – Wisconsin) went 2-4 with a triple; Becca Tikey (Arizona) went 1-1; Katie Asher CDO-2009 – Oklahoma State); Kenzie Fowler (CDO 2009 – Arizona) went 1-2 with 4 RBIs including a 3-run homerun (Did not pitch).
BRACKET UPDATE THURSDAY:
Kenzie Fowler (CDO – Arizona) struck out seven batters and gave up only one hit as the AZ Desert Thunder advanced in the Loser’s Bracket with a 4-0 win over Texas Glory Gold.
Glory pitcher Katrina Johnson is headed to Liberty University but her last game was marked by 11 hits by Desert Thunder including Fowler’s 3-3 performance at the plate.
Becca Tikey (Arizona) also went 3-3 with the game winning RBI in the top of the 7th. She later scored as Sara Sandoval (Mesa CC) hit a triple, bringing in two runs herself. Sandoval later scored on an error.
Shannel Blackshear (Buena – Wisconsin) went 1-3.
They play Texas Magic Gold Friday at 1 pm.
The future looks bright for ASU as California Cruisers pitcher Sam Parlich (Basha 2009 – ASU) went head to head against AZ Hotshots pitcher Dallas Escobedo (St. Marys 2010 – ASU) in Winner’s Bracket action Thursday.
Parlich won the battle in extra innings 1-0. Parlich has the distinction of playing for both the Hotshots and Desert Thunder before traveling to California. (The Arizona Republic has her playing for Desert Thunder in a story written only two weeks ago! http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/OdeenDomingo/58377)
Arizona recruit Brigette Delponte went 1-4 in the loss.
With Parlich playing for ASU this year and Escobedo coming next year one can say ASU has a rotation that will keep them going for a few more years.
BRACKET UPDATE FRIDAY:
Future Arizona star Baillie Kirker hit a solo homerun against future UCLA pitcher Destiny Rodino Friday as the Worth Firecrackers defeated the So Cal Choppers 7-6 in Winner’s Bracket play.
This is a matchup that might be interesting over the next four years.
Once again Kenzie Fowler (CDO – Arizona) put her team on her back as she carried them to another victory behind 10 strike outs in eight innings of play.
The AZ Desert Thunder Gold team defeated the Texas Magic 4-3 to advance in Loser’s Bracket play.
Fowler also provided the offensive punch going 2-3 including a two-run homer. She also put down a sacrifice bunt in 8th inning where Shelby Fisher (Horizon – Mississippi State) hit a double to win the game.
Becca Tikey (Arizona) went 2-4 and Shannel Blackshear (Buena – Wisconsin) went 1-4.
Pitching for Texas was Courtney Repka who has won a state championship in Texas and will play for Baylor.
BRACKET UPDATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON:
Arizona recruit Brigette DelPonte went 1-4 as the Hotshots beat the powerful Corona Angels Marty 2-1.
AZ Desert Thunder made it to the final 16 with a late afternoon victory over So Cal Choppers 1-0 behind the arm of Gabby Luciani (Centennial – Southern Miss) in extra innings.
Katie Asher (CDO – Oklahoma State) went 1-2 as did Becca Tikey (Arizona).
UCLA recriut Destiny Rodino had 10 strike outs for the Choppers but it wasn’t enough.
Next up is Nebraska Gold in the Loser’s Bracket.
Hotshots Gold 1-0 over the Alabama Crusaders late in 8 innings.
Brigette DelPonte (Sunrise Mnt. – Arizona) went 2-3; Stefanie Carramusa (Cat Foothills – New Mexico) had a sacrifice in the 8th inning to set up the winning run; and Dallas Escobedo (St. Marys – ASU) got the win with 7 strike outs to join Desert Thunder in the final 16.
BRACKET UPDATE SATURDAY:
Baillie Kirker is showing Cat fans a lot today as she went 1-3 with with 2 RBIs against ASU recruit Sam Parlich this morning and 2-4 with and RBI in the afternoon to send her team to the championship game of the Winner’s Bracket. (Firecrackers 6-5 over Ca Cruisers and 5-4 over NW Bullets)
The AZ Hotshots lost Saturday 2-0 to the defending champion Gold Coast Hurricanes 2-0. Arizona recruit Brigette DelPonte went 2-3 and Dallas Escobedo (ASU) got the loss.
The winning pitcher for the Hurricanes was Kylie Vry. With all the talk about baseball players and basketball players skipping high school it is interesting to note that Vry won a state championsip in Iowa for Des Moines East and then quit her high school team after her sophomore year to travel with the Hurricanes who are based out of Plantation, Florida.
She won a National Championship with them last year and has signed with Mississippi State. This is positive proof that high school ball is not the platform for college recruitment.
Shelby Fisher of AZ Desert Thunder and Horizon High School will be joining Vry at Mississippi State next year.
Desert Thunder won Saturday morning but lost in the afternoon, failing to make it to the final eight but showing lots of grit winning 5 games in the Loser’s Bracket.
Shannel Blackshear (Buena – Wisconsin) went 2-4 with a double and Katie Asher (CDO – Oklahoma State) went 1-3 in the win over Nebraska Gold 3-0.
Kenzie Fowler picked up 6 strike outs in the win.
The New Jersey Intensity beat Desert Thunder 1-0 to end their tournament run in the second game.
Asher went 1-3 in the loss as Fowler gave up the winning run in first inning. Desert Thunder was unable to score against Notre Dame bound Brittany O’Donnell.
This tournament was a good showing for Fowler and for other Arizona recruits Kirker, Tikey and DelPonte with Kirker still in the hunt.
Follow all results here:
http://gold.asasoftball.com/
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