12U Purple Wave wins title in five innings

The 12U Purple Wave team cleaned up at the SPLASH tourney last weekend, winning the championship Sunday afternoon with a 14-6 victory over the Glacier Emerald Greens, which was shortened to five innings due to the mercy rule.

Pitcher Sarah Goodman led the team with five wins over the weekend, including the championship game, while Marissa McCrea pitched a solid game against Columbia Falls.

Goodman had just enough gas in the tank to get the win for the team against Glacier, after pitching all weekend.

"She looked tired at different points in the game, from pitching all weekend, but when had to dig down and make the pitches we needed her to make, she did great," said head coach Paul Noble.The team overall did a great job, wiping out the competition with an average score of 16-3, including a couple come-from-behind wins.

The team scored 99 runs and only gave up 18 during the tourney.

The road to the championship was paved with some good teams, including the Great Falls Electric Heat, who won the Great Falls tourney the week before - one of the largest in the state. But the Purple Wave beat them 17-2 in three innings Sunday morning.

The team was made up of Marlee Berry, Kayla Duford, Goodman, McCrea, Ashley Johnson, Breanne Kelley, Riley Kenney, Heidi Rausch, Sallie Sams, Makaliah Wilson, and Kodi Woods.

Duford as catcher had a nice barehanded catch against the backstop Saturday, on a pop-up, while Berry made a great catch in right field during that same game.

Noble said the whole team was on fire at the plate, and he gave special credit to the 7, 8 and 9 hitters - Wilson, Berry and Rausch.

Rausch had a triple against Great Falls to open the offensive floodgates, and put the game away, Noble noted.

"Makaliah and Marlee had some big hits throughout the tourney. That really helps when you get everyone hitting," he said.

He credited his infield and Duford with great D, too.

"Between Riley Kenney at third, Sallie Sams at short, Kodi Woods at second, and Breanne Kelley at first, we had such a strong defense," Noble said. "Marissa McCrea did a great job in center, too."

Noble said the championship was a big boost to the 12U program.

"This team hasn't had a lot of success in the past, but they are now 10-3 and are very strong," he said. "They are really exciting to watch."

The team will travel to Helena this weekend, and then Kalispell the next weekend. The state tourney is in Missoula the weekend of Saturday, July 15.