By Nick Sinnott

The Siskiyou Heat U-18s were north of the border again, July 24-26. This time it was in Aurora, Oregon for the “National’s.” They proved again that they are “battlers” by coming out of the losers’ bracket and winning consecutive games to take third place.

Friday
Game-1: The first game of pool play for the Heat was the East County “Thunder” from Oregon. The Heat scored two runs in the first when both Bethany Franklin and Sarah “Who” Jones went home on passed balls. Franklin started as the ever steady pitcher and did a good job. It got quiet on the scoring for the Heat, but the Thunder tallied four runs to take a quick lead. Thunder loaded the bases in the fifth inning, but Madison “Maddi” Moser came up with some great heads-up play in right field to throw out two base runners to end the inning. In the sixth Amber “Nails” Sinnott pounded a two run double to make the score 4-4. Mindi Chandler came in to pitch in the sixth. The Thunder came back to get three more runs to end the game. Final score: Thunder 7 – Heat 4

Game-2: The next game immediately following was against “Scapoose.”  In the first inning, Sinnott hammered a double to right. Jones followed with a double of her own, scoring Sinnott.  Kelsey Moser followed with an RBI single giving the Heat three runs in the first. Franklin started again in the circle, and was as solid as ever keeping the Scapoose batters off the bases.  The Heat added three more runs in the third when Kelsey Moser and Lizzie Stone singled, and Sierra “C” Skeen and Samantha “Sammi” Reed got RBI singles. Bethany Franklin followed with a 3-run double, and Sinnott and Lauren “Mochie” Young doubled to complete the scoring.  Chandler came in to close the door in the sixth. Final score: Heat 6 – Scapoose 4

Saturday
Game-3:  On Saturday morning the Heat played the Red Hot’s from Portland, Oregon. It was a very close game all the way.  Franklin started again, but the Red Hot’s got a run in the first to take a quick lead.  It wasn’t until the third inning when Maddi Moser and Lauren Young got back to back bunts down and Sinnott hit a double to score the Heat’s first run. Sammi Reed hit a sacrifice deep to left that scored another run. The Heat defense was strong but the Red Hot’s got away with the win. Final score: Red Hot’s 3 – Heat 2

Sunday
Game-4:  The first opponent for the Heat on Sunday was the Junction City Pride. This was the fourth time the Heat had faced Pride in the last three weeks during tournaments. The Pride jumped off to a first inning lead 1-0, but the Heat showed they were battlers. A great combination of Jones and Skeen threw out a potential run at home to end the first inning.  In the third inning Lauren, Young led off and made it all the way to third base on an overthrow at first, but the Heat’s bats couldn’t drive her in.  In the fifth inning, the Heat defense shined again throwing out a runner at home from left field with a relay from Young to Sinnott to Jones. In the fifth, things opened up for the Heat. With two outs, Young singled and Sinnott drove a triple to right field to get the first run of the game for the Heat. Jones singled home Sinnott for the Heat’s second run. The Heat added two more in the sixth for a great come from behind win. Final score: Pride 2 – Heat 4

Game-5:  For the second game of the day, the Heat faced the East County Thunder, who was also their opponent in game-1 on Friday. It was time for the Heat to avenge that loss. Mindi Chandler came in to start at pitcher, and did a great job of keeping the hitters off balance and lunging for her deceiving change up. The Heat scored first this game with a run in the bottom of the first. In the fourth inning, Kelsey Moser reached on an error, stole second, and advanced to third on a passed ball. Skeen then drove her in for the Heat’s second run of the game. Before it was over the Heat tallied three more in the inning including a 2-run double by Jones.  Franklin then came in to close. Her speed and spot control closed the door on Thunder. Final score: Thunder 2 – Heat 5

Game-6:  In the sixth game of the tournament, the Heat faced a new opponent, the Vikings from Selah, Oregon. The Heat players were beginning to feel the heat of the day take its toll and couldn’t get much going. Selah was a quality team with hitting and pitching. Coach Rob Moser used the pitching combination of Franklin’s speed and Chandler’s change ups to keep the Selah batters guessing for a while. It was a close, well played game for the first three innings, but some key hits by Selah and some Heat miscues in the field led to the first loss of the day and elimination from the tournament. Final score: Selah 12 – Heat 4

The Heat’s next tournament is in Stockton, August 8 – 9.