YOUTH SOFTBALL (18U): VALLEY STORM GOES 2-2 AT SUMMER SIZZLER TOURNAMENT (2020-06-24)

Valley Sports Report
JERSEY SHORE - After a promising start, the Valley Storm went 2-2 and finished ninth in the 20-team field at the Summer Sizzler Tournament here this weekend at Antes Fort Park.

The Storm won their first two games Saturday, then let a late lead slip away in the final game of pool play later in the day, dropping them from a potential top seed in bracket play to the ninth seed.

POOL PLAY
Valley Storm 7, Emmaus Sting 6
Waverly's Aubrey Ennis delivered a two-out, RBI-double in the top of the sixth inning to lift the Valley Storm to a 7-6 come-from-behind win over the Emmaus Sting in the opening game of pool play Saturday morning.

The Storm scored three runs in the top of the second inning on a two-out, two-run triple by Ennis, and an RBI single by Waverly's Hali Jenner to take a 3-1 lead, but the Sting bounced back with five runs in the home half of the inning to take a  6-3 lead.

Elmira's Shelby Smith closed the gap to 6-4 with a one-out RBI triple in the top of the third, but was left stranded.

In the top of the fourth, Edison's Reagan Seelye reached on a lead-off single, but was replaced on the base paths by Athens' Harley Sullivan via a fielder's choice. North Rome's Emma Repsher followed with a double, and both scored moments later on an error to tie the game at 6-6.

Elk Lake's Jenna Newhart led off the sixth inning with a line-drive single to center field. With two outs, Repsher kept the inning alive with a ground-ball single, then Ennis capped the rally with a line-drive double to center field to make it 7-6.

Athens' Megan Bennett, who pitched three innings of perfect relief to earn the win, retired the side in order in the home half of the sixth to preserve the win. She struck out six.

Repsher was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, and Smith was 3-for-3 with two triples and an RBI to lead the Storm's 14-hit attack, while Ennis tripled and doubled, scored one run, and had three RBI, and Seelye singled twice and scored one run.

Horseheads' Lexi Wahl-Knowlden and Newhart each singled and scored one run, Jenner singled and drove in one run, Bennett added a single, and Sullivan crossed the plate once.

Valley Storm 6, Pa. Ball Hawks 0
Bennett tossed a five-inning shutout to lead the Storm to a 6-0 win over the York-based Pa. Ball Hawks in pool play action Saturday morning.

Bennett allowed three hits - all singles, while striking out seven and walking none.

Smith gave the Storm a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning with a three-run, two-out triple, and the Storm tacked on three more runs in the fourth inning on consecutive RBI singles by Ennis, Jenner, and Edison's K.K. Bush.

Smith tripled and doubled, and drove in three runs to lead the Storm's nine-hit attack, while Jenner and Bush each singled, scored one run, and drove in one run, and Bennett, Newhart, and Seelye each singled and scored a run.

Ennis singled and knocked in a run in the win, while Towanda's Maddie Maynard added a single, and Repsher scored one run.

Danville Bandits 4, Valley Storm 3
The Danville Bandits took advantage of three walks and a bases-clearing error - all with two outs - to plate four runs in the bottom of the third inning in a 4-3 four-inning win over the Valley Storm in the final game of pool play Saturday afternoon.

Maynard gave the Storm a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-out RBI triple, and scored moments later on a passed ball.

The Storm tacked on another run on a pair of walks, a hit batter, and a passed ball to take a 3-0 lead.

Maynard's RBI triple was the only hit of the game for the Storm. Wahl-Knowlden and Seelye each scored a run.

Maynard was tagged with the tough-luck loss. She allowed four unearned runs on two hits, while striking out one and walking four in three innings of work.

BRACKET PLAY
Westchester Heat 11, Valley Storm 2
The Westchester (NY) Heat scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning to break open a tie game en route to an 11-2 five-inning win over the Valley Storm in the opening game of single-elimination bracket play.

Seelye singled twice and scored a run, and Bennett was also 2-for-2 to lead the Storm at the plate. Sullivan doubled, scored a run, and drove in a run, Repsher singled and knocked in a run, and Ennis tacked on a single for the Storm.

The Storm returns to action at the Fireworks & Fastballs Tournament in Williamsport July 4-5.