Flinthills Stampede takes 3rd at Midwest national tournament
By The Emporia Gazette (Contact)
Originally published 02:19 p.m., July 15, 2008
Updated 02:19 p.m., July 15, 2008
The Flint Hills Stampede placed third at the USSSA U-18 C Midwest National Tournament last week in Kansas City, Mo.
The Stampede, which went 5-2, was one of only two U-16 teams playing in the tournament and also was the only Kansas team in the field.
Flint Hills began pool play on Friday by outscoring the Kansas City Wranglers, 6-3. Offensively, Brenna Riley went 3-for-3 and Gabby Bohrer went 2-for-2.
Taylor Rains pitched a complete game, scattering four hits in six innings while striking out nine and walking none. Rains was voted the MVP of Game One.
The Stampede then faced the Platte City (Mo.) Cougars and won by a count of 7-4. Offensively, Ashley Cahoone had a huge game, going 2-for-3 with a double and triple. Bohrer again went 2-for-2.
Rains picked up her second victory, allowing only one earned run while striking out eight and walking one. Cahoone was voted the MVP of Game Two.
Rain delayed play until Saturday evening, when the Stampede won an extra-inning game against the K.C. Wrangler M’s by a score of 6-5.
Regulation ended with the score 1-1. In the top of the sixth inning, the Stampede scored five runs.
Megan Burton was placed on second base to begin the inning because of the international tiebreaker rule. After a sacrifice by Erin Eidman moved Burton to third, Kelly Hannigan singled to score Burton. Annie Jirak walked, and then Riley singled to score Hannigan.
Heather Duncan reached on an error, and then Rains doubled to score two runs.
Though things looked to be in control, the Stampede committed five errors in the bottom of the inning that allowed the M’s to score four runs to make the final score 6-5.
Rains again got the start and the win, going the distance and striking out eight while walking two with a hit batter. She allowed three hits and one earned run.
Bracket play continued Sunday morning with the Stampede picking up its first loss to the eventual champions, the Nebraska Flames, by a score of 1-0. The Stampede only mustered four hits, with Riley leading the way with two hits.
Defensively, the Stampede played possibly its best game of the season, highlighted by a diving catch by Eidman on a drive to deep right-center.
Rains picked up her only loss of the tournament in her complete-game effort. She gave up one unearned run in the second inning when, with two outs, the Stampede dropped a fly ball that would have been the third out.
The next Nebraska batter singled to bring in the only run of the game.
Rains allowed only one other hit, as she threw a two-hitter. She struck out four with no walks while hitting one batter.
Game Five found the Stampede in a rematch with the Cougars from Platte City, and the Stampede advanced in the tournament with a 3-0 win.
Cahoone led the Stampede, going 2-for-2 with 2 RBI. She also added a double.
Rains went 1-for-1 with two runs scored.
In the circle, Rains picked up a one-hit shutout, striking out and walking four.
Next, the Stampede faced the Nebraska Heat from Omaha. The Stampede again picked up a 3-0 victory.
Cahoone and Rains each went 2-for-2, with Cahoone getting another double. Rains scored two more runs, and Cahoone added two more RBI.
Rains started her sixth straight game of the tournament and picked up a two-hit shutout. She went five innings, striking out six and walking none.
In the Stampede’s final game of the tournament, it fell one run short to the St. Joseph (Mo.) Boom Chica Wah Wahs in a 3-2 loss.
Cahoone finished a huge offensive tournament, going 2-for-2. Riley also went 3-for-3.
Bohrer made the start and picked up the loss. She pitched 3 1/3 innings before giving way to Rains.
Bohrer gave up one earned run, striking out two and walking three.
Rains went 2/3 of an inning, striking out one batter.
For the tournament, Cahoone picked up nine hits, Riley had seven hits and Rains ended with six hits.
In the circle, Rains finished with a 5-1 record after pitching in all seven games. Six of those outings were complete games.
Rains struck out 43 batters while walking only seven.
The Stampede will compete in the ASA Class C State Tournament this weekend in Topeka.