Members of the Sting team are:  (front row, left to right)   Megan Carlson, Rebecca Swalla, Logan Story, Janessa Hove, and MacKenzi Hocking.     Back row:  Lyli Hake (coach), Tarin Bell, Brooke Nelson, Alyssa Wirtz, Kelsey Hake, Laura Reed, Jackie Smith, Jordan Story, and Same Hake (coach).   Absent from photo:  Whitney Holt.

     The South Hamilton Sting 12 & Under ASA gilrs softball team captured the first place title this past weekend at the Altoona Classic.   The Sting got into the championship bracket by defeating the Ottomwa Sting 5-0 and the Des Moines Heat 11-1 during the pool play.   In a simi-final match against the Quad City Cats, the Sting came out victorious 6-2.   This set up a match between the only two unbeaten teams in the tournament; the Ottumwa Heat and the Sting.   In a hard fought defensive game, the Sting won 1-0.   Twelfe teams from throughout the state of Iowa competed for the title.

     In previous season action on May 27 & 28, 2000; the Sting took the title at the Ames Memorial Day Tournament with a perfect 5-0 record.   They defeated teams from Urbandale, Ankeny, Ames and East Des Moines.

     On May 13 & 14 at the Ft. Dodge Early Bird Tournament, the Sting finished in second behind a fine Ft. Dodge Jr. Pride team.   In the championship game the score was tied at 4-4 after seven innings.   The international tire breaker was used and the Sting fell short and lost 4-5.   To get to the championship game the Sting defeated teams from Sioux City, Storm Lake, and West Des Moines Dowling.

     The 2000 Sting has an overall record of 20-3.   They are back in action on June 23-25 at the B-State Championships in Burlington.   Sting will be returning as the defending state champions.
 

     The South Hamilton Sting traveled to Burlington June 23-25 to defend their title in the Iowa Amateur Softball Association Girl's 12 & 13 Under Class B Fast Pitch State Tournament.   The field of 23 teams from throughout Iowa had to endure a rain-soaked tournament with many delays.

     The Sting began their first game against the Washinton A's approximately ten hours behind schedule on a very soggy field, but managed to down the A's 3-1.

     Second round play with the West Des Moines Lynx went scoreless until the top of the 5th inning when Tarin Bell led off with a single.   Kelsey Hake drove her in with a double to score the only run of the game.   The Sting defense held the Lynx attack and came out on top 1-0.

     In game three the Sting faced another Des Moines team: the Raccoon Valley Rage.   Tough hitting from Jenessa Hove, Jackie Smith, Alyssa Wirtz, Brooke Nelson and Laura Read combined for 4 runs while tight defense and 9 strikeouts from pitcher Kelsey Hake kept the Rage at only 2 runs for the game.

     The Sting came out swinging in their next game with the West Des Moines Wildcats.   Megan Carlson, Rebecca Swalla, Kelsey Hake and Jackie Smith slugged out 7 hits to drive in 3 runs.   Tarin Bell and Kelsey Hake shared duties on the mound and fanned 12 batters while only giving up one hit to keep the Wildcats scoreless and move into the championship game undefeated.

     This was a double elimination tournament and Sting, being the only unbeaten team left in the field, had to wait through the completion of the loser's bracket to determine their next opponent.   The WDM Wildcats fought their way out of the loser's bracket back into the championship game with the Sting.   The Sting was definitely feeling an advantage since the Wildcats would neet to beat them twice in order to claim the title.   Kelsey Hake, Janessa Hove, Tarin Bell and Laura Read each pounded out hits but only scored a single run batted in by Alyssa Wirtz in the top of the third inning.   The Wildcats responded with two runs in their half of the 4th inning and the Sting took the loss 1-2.   This set up game six to determine the champion between the Sting and the Wildcats with each team now having one loss.

     The Wildcats came out right away in the first inning and scored a run.   Sting responded with one run in the top of the second inning following Alyssa Wirt's lead off double.   WDM came right back with two more runs in the third inning.   Megan Carlson set up Sting's second run of the game by reaching first on an error and finally scoring with some very aggressive base running.

     Still down by one run in the top of the fifth inning, Jackie Smith reached first base on an error.   Rebecca Swalla executed a sacrifice bunt to advance her, and Tarin Bell drove Smith in with a single.   The score was tied 3-3 with the Windcats at bat in their half of the fifth inning.   They managed to score two runs and Sting was down 3-5 going into the final inning.

     A lead off single by Whitney Holt followed by a hit from Kelsey Hake, sacrifice bunts from Janessa Hove and Jackie Smith and finally hits by Rebecca Swalla, Alyssa Wirtz and Tarin Bell, gave Sting three runs to put them up 6-5.   Tight defense held the Wildcats without a run and clinched the championship title for the second year in a row for the South Hamilton Sting.

     The title qualifies the Sting to play in the Western National Chamionships to be held August 8-13 in Bryan/College Station, Texas.   Further action for the Sting will be July 7-9 at the Ames Summer Tournament and July 21-23 at the Raccoon Valley Tournament in West Des Moines.