Avalanche 12U has great showing in first tournament of the year. 4-1 start to season.

The 12U team had a great start to the season with an outstanding run to the Gold Bracket Championship game at the NAFA 12B tournament in Newberg, Oregon this weekend, finishing second overall. While the results are impressive, it took a comeback effort in game one of the pool play to position the Avalanche into the brackets for Sunday’s championship appearance.

The Avalanche took on the hard charging DC Blaze from Myrtle Creek, Oregon in the first tournament game of the season.  They gave up 3 runs in the opening half of the first inning, and allowed a run in the top of the 3rd leaving a 0-4 deficit.  The Avalanche were held scoreless until the bottom of the 5th inning when the bats woke up.  #15 Krysta and #11 KB both hit for singles to position runners on first and second.  #13 Ava’s patience at bat allowed for Krysta and KB to advance into scoring positions at second and third.  #5 Linsdsey  took it from there, bombing a single into right field and recording the first two runs for the Avalanche.  #55 Megan then blasted a triple to right field, sending Lindsey home to the dish.  #3 Cassidy singled on a fly ball to center sending Megan in for the score.  Now tied up at 4-4, #8 Kenzie reached first on a Fielder’s choice that put out Cassidy.  #75 Anna hit a fly ball to second base, but reached first on an E4.  With 2 outs and runners on first and second, #17 Mackenzie stepped up for an at bat where patience once again paid off, allowing for a steal on a tough to handle ball advancing runners to second and third, and then a passed ball to send Kenzie T home for the 5th run of the inning.  The game ended in the top of the 6th with 3 straight strikeouts awarded to #75 Anna.

After the initial close call, the Avalanche played a tough Scappoose Dynamite team, but earned a 4-2 victory in the second game of pool play.  The win pushed the Avalanche into the top spot for the Sunday Gold Bracket play-off.

On Sunday, the Avalanche came away with strong wins against tough competitors, winning 9-2 over the NW Shock and 11-6 over the North Valley SWAT.  These victories allowed the girls to advance to the Championship game, where they fell to the Salem Aftershock 1-13.