By Staff
After winning the NSA Class B girls fastpitch state title, Intensity coaches Rick Zache, Dave Fisher and Don Ross decided to see what the Niles-Brandywine Girls Softball Association's girls 14 and under All-Star team could do by playing in larger tournaments.
The team has usually played in Class B tourneys since all the girls come from the NBGSA league, while true travel teams attract the better players from larger areas and leagues.
Intensity participated in the MASA Class A tourney in Holland and the Schutt Super World NIT tourney at Alliance Lake near Lansing the past two weekends.
The coaches found out that the team can compete very well, since the girls took second place in both tournaments.
At Holland, the team lost their first game 4-3 to the Midland Gilles, despite Jenna Ignowski's long home run over left field and two key hits by Maggie Ernsberger and Brooke Coshow.
Intensity then defeated the Reese Classics by the score of 12-0.
Kendra Zache and Holly Lucas led the hitting with two hits each. Intensity then came back to defeat Gilles 5-3 with Zache, Ernsberger and Lucas the leading hitters.
The team then lost a close game with the eventual tourney champs, the Kalamazoo Klash, by the score of 3-2. Intensity loaded the bases in the last inning when Emily Ross's hard line drive was caught by a leaping Klash player.
Intensity went on to defeat a good Lansing Hang Tough team by the score of 4-1 before losing once again to the Klash in the championship game.
Shortstop Cricket Fisher turned a triple play against Hang Tough to end the game by making a diving catch, tagging out a runner at second base and throwing to first.
At Alliance Lake, Intensity started the tourney by beating the Moline Mustangs by the score of 6-0.
Ignowski and Coshow led the hitting while Zache took the win on the mound.
The team then defeated the Midland Lady Explorers twice by the scores of 16-0 and 14-0 with Ignowski and Zache each hurling a no-hitter.
Emily Ross and Ignowski each had three hits while Patty Anton had two hits in the first victory.
Holly Lucas and Kaley Jones were the leading hitters in the second game.
Next, Intensity beat the Indiana Raiders 5-1 with Delaina Schroeder leading the offense with two hits and two RBIs.
In one of the best games of the weekend the NBSGA team defeated the Escanaba Heartbreakers by the score of 3-2 in eight innings.
Patty Anton's walk off base hit scored Lucas with the winning run. Intensity then lost to tourney the champions, the Toledo Lady Irish, by the score of 3-2.
Intensity ended the game with the bases loaded, but failed to score.
Zache and Ignowski shared pitching duties and both turned in solid performances. Cricket Fisher, Delaina Schroeder and Emily Ross each played outstanding defense for Intensity.