The Big Event - Las Cruces, NM

A few days after the 10 game guarantee in Lubbock, we headed out to Las Cruces, NM to play in the 8 game guarantee, The Big Event.  This event was a 10 game guarantee last year, but the Tournament Director did not disappoint by making the games longer so that the girls would experience longer and better games.  Yet, nobody expected the heat that these ladies and parents experienced over the four days.  With temperatures reaching triple digits each day, we had to try everything to keep these girls cool and ready for their games.  Pool play started on Thursday with 3 games against Lookouts, NM Fire 2001, and Las Cruces Wolfpack.  The girls battled hard and were able to come away with the victories 9-2, 12-0 and 11-2.  Going 3-0 on Saturday, the girls were ready to keep their momentum on Sunday and they did.  Facing Diamond Ice, NM Rukus, and Rhinos they were able to continue scoring runs with scores of 9-1, 12-0 and 12-3.  The ladies did just enough in the pool games to earn the #1 seed out of the pool.  Going into bracket play our first game was Saturday at 9:45 a.m. against the Diablos and the girls sticks showed themselves again and they were able to earn the win 12-0.  This placed us against the Las Cruces Heat in the next game and the girls did amazing again winning 11-0.  The next game in bracket was against the Cruces Pride and this one tested our girls a little bit.  Going into the fourth inning the score was still 0-0.  Pride scored 1st with 1 run in the top of the 4th, but our girls answered back with 3 more of their own and continued on to win 7-1 in 6 innings.  This placed us up against the EC Sliderz in the semi-final game.  As is the case every time we face each other it is always a spectacular game.  This game went the full 7 innings and the girls played well in the heat, but were unable to come up with the win with a score of 2-3, we were down in the losers bracket.  This would not phase our girls as they just knew they had to battle back.  The next game was against the Dynamite and our girls showed that they were ready to battle for the championship with a 10-0 win where defense was crucial and our sticks capitalized on opportunities.  Facing the EC Sliderz again, the girls were ready for some great games and parents and ladies were not disappointed.  Our girls had learned to start out ahead and stay ahead and they did so in the top of the 2nd and never lost the lead winning 6-2.  After a small break, the "IF" game was played.  The girls battled tough, but errors leading to 5 runs in the first two innings were insurmountable.  The Cats tried to come back, but the final score was 4-7 for a second place finish.  This amazing group of young ladies battled hard all weekend long for a final record of 11-2, with our 2 losses being a difference of 4 runs.  In 7 bracket games, the girls were able to have the 'run rule' enforced on 4 of these games.  These ladies have come a long way and we are very happy to be headed to San Diego next week to see what the girls are capable of in a much larger field of teams.  Let's get ready ladies and let's have fun.  GO CATS!!!!