Fury 97 Wins ASA 14U A Nationals

[cjsugg2]

Congratulations to the players, coaches and parents of FURY 97 for going undefeated and winning the ASA 14U A National Softball Tournament in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The tournament featured 114 teams from 30 states. This is the first time a Tennessee team has won the ASA 14U A National Tournament.

 

1 Alexis Hull C Ballard High School 2015

4 Alyssa Coppinger CF Whitwell High School 2015

9 Hannah DeVault 2B Christian Academy of Knoxville 2016

10 Libby Sugg C Franklin High School 2015

12 Sam Scott P/UT Munford High School 2016

14 Jordan Fortel P/UT Greenville High School 2015

15 Ashton Watkins SS Marshall County High School 2015

20 Baylee Cook OF Shelbyville High School 2015

21 Baylee Sutton 3B Murray County High, GA 2015

22 Brianna Jones P Coffee County High School 2015

23 Jordan Spicer 1B Beech High School 2015

88 Hallie Davis OF Walker Valley High School 2015

 

Co-Head Coaches – Randy Coppinger and Keith Perry

Assistant Coaches – Kevin Earls, Bob Fortel and Chuck Sugg

 

The following article was featured in the Argus Leader:

 

ASA Finals: Tennessee Fury wins in walk-off. Champs finish 14-under national tourney 10-0

Written by Zach Perry for the Argus Leader

 

A two-run, walk-off single by Tennessee Fury 97 second baseman Hannah DeVault clinched the ASA 14-under national championship and a perfect tournament record in a thrilling 3-2 decision over Team Arizona on Sunday at Sherman Park.

 

Trailing 2-1 with one out and runners on second and third, DeVault stepped to the plate and lined a shot into centerfield. Arizona centerfielder Sierra Smith made a diving attempt for the ball, but secured it only after it bounced off the grass.

 

With Smith laid out in center, the runners were able to come around and score, sending the Fury – clad in power blue and white – streaming from the dugout in celebration.

 

“I wasn’t thinking about anything really,†said DeVault, who finished the game with two RBI and a pair of singles. “I was just hoping to put the bat on the ball.

 

“It feels great, I can’t even put it into any other words than that. It feels amazing.â€

 

Fury 97 also got a stellar pitching performance from Brianna Jones, who went all seven innings, allowing just two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven.

 

“I think we were pretty confident the whole time,†said Jones, who struck out the Arizona side in the first inning. “In the early scrimmages we won and that got us up. Then we started winning our pool games, and when we got in the bracket we started winning and we just felt confident.â€

 

Team Arizona had a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the seventh thanks to an RBI double by Smith and a run-scoring single by Alyssa DiCarlo – the first of two hits for the right fielder – in the third inning.

 

Tennessee got one run back in the fourth on an RBI single by Baylee Cook, but didn’t score again until the final inning.

 

Cook and Jordan Fortel had two hits apiece for Fury 97.

 

“I think it was more Tennessee Fury than it was us,†said Arizona coach Jim Henry, whose team would have had to beat Tennessee twice Sunday to claim the championship. “They finally adjusted to what we were doing pitching-wise and their kids actually just executed. It was a great job on their part.â€

 

With a field of 114, the ASA softball event boasted nearly twice as many teams as the popular NCAA Division I basketball tournament. But unlike the annual, three-week basketball event, the winner of this double-elimination tourney must outlast every other team in the field twice.

 

What’s even more impressive is that the team from Tennessee did it with a perfect 10-0 record in pool and tournament play, needing only the minimum amount of games to take home the championship.

 

“It’s pretty amazing to come into an event like this and even think about going undefeated,†said Tennessee co-head coach Randy Coppinger, whose team outscored opponents 34-6 in the tournament portion. “To face a team like Team Arizona three times and win all three games by one run – it’s amazing.â€

 

The victory was the culmination of a week of competition that started with pool play to determine seeding. Incredibly, Fury 97 and Team Arizona started in the same four-team pool – something that may have given the Fury just a little more poise for their championship run.

 

“To be national champs is a thing we’re going to remember for the rest of our lives,†said Fury co-coach Keith Perry. “These girls worked hard all year… and they’ve earned it, they’ve worked hard for it. It’s all them.â€

Edited August 10, 2012 by cjsugg2

[BigMo]

Fantastic!!!