The Stingrays started the 14U World Series in Pool C playing a tough Alabama squad.  Alabama’s pitcher was very fast with good ball movement and kept the Stingrays off balance most of the game.  Alabama scored an unearned run off of Rebecca in the 1^st inning to take a 1-0 lead.  The score held up as both pitchers dominated the game.  In the 4^th inning Alabama extended their lead to 3-0 as they added 2 more unearned runs.  The final run (also unearned) came in the 6^th inning. 

Rebecca threw a strong game giving up 0 earned runs and only 7 hits while getting 7 strikeouts.  The Stingrays could only manage 2 hits all game by Haley and Rebecca.

 Hits: Haley – 1 single; Rebecca – 1 single

The Stingrays came from behind to defeat Georgia 3-2 in searing Orlando temperature.  Amanda H. pitched a complete game to earn her 1^st victory and the Stingray bats came alive in a 5^th inning rally.  Amanda H. gave up 3 hits – all in the 4^th inning when Georgia pushed 2 runs across the plate to take a 2-0 lead. The big defensive play of the game came in the 4^th when Cheryl made a hustle play and great throw to stop a single from turning into extra bases. 

In the 5^th inning, the Stingray bats came alive for the first time in the Series.  Amanda H.  started the inning by lacing a single.  Colleen followed with a sharp single up the middle.  Courtney set the table with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt that sent the runners to second and third with 1 out.  Rebecca scored both runners with a hard line drive down the right field line.  With Rebecca on first, Jocelyn got a slap hit to short.  A wild pitch moved the runners up before Amanda P. singled home the eventual winning run and put the Stingrays up 3-2.  Amanda H. retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning as time ran out.

Hits: Jocelyn – 2 singles; Amanda P. – 2 singles, 1 RBI; Amanda H. – 1 single’ 1 run;

Colleen – 1 single, 1 run; Rebecca – 1 single, 1 run, 2 RBIs

Pool play ended with the Stingrays again coming from behind to defeat Florida 4-2 in the 2^nd game of the day at Osceola.  With the win, the Stingrays finished second in Pool C with a strong 2-1 record.  Rebecca pitched another strong game and earned her first win at the Series.  Haley hit a triple in the top of the 1^st, but was stranded on third base.  The Stingrays scored first in the top of the 2^nd when Ann Marie led off with a solid single to right center.  She advanced to second on Shannon's grounder to short and then moved to third on a wild pitch.  Rebecca's grounder to second scored Ann Marie. Florida scored both of their runs in the 2^nd inning by putting together 3 hits and took a 2-1 lead.

The Stingrays tied the game in the top of the third.  Courtney led off with a single and moved up on a Katie S. grounder to short.  Amanda P. brought in Courtney with a single to the outfield and scored the go ahead run on Kelsey's single.  In the 6^th inning, Jocelyn led off the inning with a pitch hit slap to 3^rd.  A single by Amanda H. put 2 runners on before Haley bombed a double to score Jocelyn giving the Stingrays the final 4-2 margin of victory.

Hits: Amanda P.– 1 single,1 run; Amanda H.– 1 single; Haley– 1 triple,1 double, 1 RBI; Kelsey – 1 single; Ann Marie – 1 single, 1 run; Courtney – 1 single, 1 run; Jocelyn– 1 single, 1 run

The Stingrays beat one of the tournament’s top seeds and won their first ever bracket game at Champion’s Stadium home of the USSSA Pride.  In a game that was recorded on tape, the Stingrays scored early, fell behind and then rallied for the win in the last inning.

In the bottom of the 1^st, Amanda P. was hit by a pitch before Haley sent a hard shot to the left field wall and turned the smash into an inside-the-park home run.  Amanda H. held the PA team scoreless until things unraveled in the top of the 5^th inning.   PA sent all their batters to the plate and had 6 hits that scored 4 runs for a 4-2 lead.

In what has become a pattern in this Series, the never-say-die Stingrays pulled the game out in the bottom of the inning with a 3-run rally of their own.  Rebecca started the inning with a walk and was sacrificed to 2^nd by Courtney.  Katie S. delivered a single to score Rebecca. Shannon came in as a pinch runner and advanced to 2^nd on a passed ball.  With 2 outs and and trailing 4-3, Amanda P. scored Katie S. with a hit that turned into a triple.  With the game now tied, Amanda P. was able to score on a wild pitch for the Stingray lead that held up when PA could not score in the top of the 6^th and time ran out before the Stingrays even came to bat.

Hits: Amanda P.– 1 single,1 triple, 2 run, 1 RBI; Haley –1 HR, 1 run, 2 RBI; Kelsey – 1 single; Rebecca – 1 single, 1 run; Courtney– Sacrifice; Katie S. – 1 single, 1 RBI; Shannon– 1 run

The Stingrays lost a heart-breaker to the Illinois State Championship team after a lengthy rain delay at Disney.  Illinois took an early lead only to see the Stingrays stage a late inning rally to tie the game.  In the bottom of the inning, Illinois was able to score the game winning run sending the Stingrays into the Loser’s bracket of the tournament.

The Cobras took a 1-0 lead in the 1^st inning on a bunt that turned into a 4 base error allowing the batter to score.  The Stingrays came back in the top of the 3^rd to score three runs and take a 3-1 lead over Illinois.  Haley and Kelsey got things going with a pair of walks.  Ann Marie was safe on a perfect sacrifice bunt to load the bases.  Amanda H. singled home Haley.  Colleen singled home Kelsey. Rebecca then scored Ann Marie with the 3^rd consecutive single. 

Illinois then came back to tie the game with 2 runs in the 5^th and took the lead 5-3 with 2 more in the 6^th inning.   Only 20 seconds remained when the last inning began and the Stingrays made the most of it to keep the game alive.  Jocelyn led off with a slap to short and beat out the rushed throw. Amanda P. singled to put runners on 1^st and 2^nd.  Haley then lined a shot to left field which got past the left fielder to score Jocelyn and Amanda P. A perfect throw got Haley sliding into 3^rd in a close call. 

With the game tied and extra innings looming, the Cobras lead off batter hit a double.  A ground out moved her to 3^rd with 1 out and the game on the line. The next Cobra batter bunted to 3^rd and the winning run crossed the plate as the throw was just a little late.

Hits: Jocelyn–2 singles, 1 run; Amanda P.–1 single, 1 run; Haley –1 single, 1 double, 1 run 2 RBI; Kelsey –1 run; Ann Marie –1 run; Amanda H. –1 single; Colleen –1 single; Rebecca -2 singles

The Stingrays came back after yesterday’s disappointing loss and eliminated Texas from the tournament 7-2 in the high heat and humidity of the Disney complex.  Amanda H. went 3-0 in the tournament with a superb game in the sweltering weather.

Jocelyn started the game with a bunt single, was sacrificed to 2^nd by a Amanda P. bunt.  Jocelyn stole 3^rd and was able to score when the throw slipped away from the third baseman.  Texas scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 2^nd on a single, a long triple and a groundout. 

As has been the pattern for the Stingrays in the Series, they came back once again and took the lead for good.  Shannon started the 3^rd with a base hit.  Jocelyn beat out the sacrifice bunt for another hit.  Amanda P. repeated the feat by beating out her well placed sacrifice bunt.  With the bases loaded and 1 out, Kelsey sent a rocket (triple) to left center to clear the bases and give the Stingrays a 4-2 lead that they never surrendered.  Ann Marie bunted to score Kelsey on the sacrifice.  With the score 5-2, the Stingrays put the game away with 2 more runs in the top of the 4^th.  With 2 outs and nobody on, Jocelyn did her thing and beat out a beautiful bunt without even a play being made on her.  Amanda P. singled to put 2 runners on base.  Haley singled to load the bases once again for Kelsey.  Kelsey’s single brought in Jocelyn and Amanda P. and gave her 5 RBI’s for the game.

The Stingrays completed a fabulous Series with a 6-1 loss to Michigan.  With the loss, the Stingrays finished 4-3 and left them as the only Northern Virginia team with a winning record.  Just like the prior day, the game was delayed for lightning just minutes before it was scheduled to start.  Michigan scored a run in the 1^st and 2 unearned runs in the 2^nd against Rebecca.

With the score 6-0 and the game winding down, the Stingrays finally were able to get on the scoreboard in the 6^th.  Shannon led off the inning with a hit.  She moved to 2^nd on Jocelyn’s groundout.  Amanda P. then scored Shannon with a nice double.