Arizona Storm National-Mathis 16u mix and match rosters, make more progress at TC Nationals7/12/2023 by Jason Hanes
CUMMING, Ga. – A group that had never played competitively together before this week found a way to come together to stay undefeated at the TC Nationals on Wednesday as Arizona Storm National-Mathis earned a 3-2 walk-off win over Arizona ThunderCats NXT to win its first game in the 16u championship bracket. “To take players from four teams (in our organization) that have never played at this level and to watch them get in this situation and rise up has been really special,” said head coach Corey Mathis. “We’re seeing good pitchers, we’re seeing good teams, and then they’re having to play under pressure, which is only going to make the rest of their summer that much better." The win for this team of uncommitted athletes from the Arizona Storm organization didn’t come easy. Arizona ThunderCats NXT and Arizona Storm National-Mathis matched each other pitch-for-pitch all the way into the final stages. Both starting pitchers had a strong contest as neither team could punch across a run over the first five innings. Eliza Bark worked 5.1 scoreless innings for Storm, while Maya Fimbres matched her counterpart into the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Storm strung together back-to-back doubles. Emma Ford laced a ground rule double down the right field line with one out to put a runner in scoring position. “I was just looking to crush it,” Ford said. “I knew we needed some runners on base, and the next part of our lineup had been on [the pitcher, so I just needed to get on base. Peyton Valentine then came through with the biggest hit of the game to that point. Her shot to the fence in left field brought in Ford with the game’s first run. “I just wanted to drive the ball the opposite way,” Valentine said. “I was expecting something slower and outside, and I just got it." The lead would turn out to be short-lived. Leading off the seventh, Natalie Holzer put a charge into a pitch, sending it over the wall in left-center to knot the game back up. Later in the inning, with runners on the corners and two out, a stolen base attempt by ThunderCats NXT end with the throw from the plate sailing into center. The runner from third came home, and suddenly the game’s script had changed. A strikeout put Storm National Mathis down to its final two outs, but the bats came back to life. Amirah Lenon would single, finally chasing Fimbres from the contest. Fimbres pitched impressively over 6.1 innings, allowing just six hits; however, the tying run was now standing on first. After a strikeout, a walk to Sammie Kaufman-Warner put the winning run on base for Ford. After a pair of changeups, though, Ford was down to her last strike. “I was a little antsy swinging, but after she threw those, I was thinking she’s not going to beat me again. If she throws me a change, I’m going to foul it off, I’m going to get my pitch, and I’m going to drive it,” Ford stated. Ford would rocket the offering into the gap in left-center, with the ball bouncing all the way to the fence. Both runners would come around to score, and Arizona Storm National Mathis stayed alive in the 16u championship bracket. This team of four teams combined into one has continued to progress as the tournament has progressed, which hasn’t gone unnoticed by Ford. “You don’t have to play with ‘your’ team to have good energy,” Ford said. “We’re a bunch of different teams, but if you have good energy, everybody will work together.” Two wins away from the championship game, Arizona Storm National-Mathis will be in action Thursday morning at 8 a.m. |
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