The Express Fastpitch 13U softball team showcased its talent this past weekend, going 5-2 over a seven-game stretch while outscoring its opponents 62-27 to win the United States Specialty Sports Association 14U Iowa-Illinois State Championship.
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MOLINE — The Express Fastpitch 13U softball team showcased its talent this past weekend, going 5-2 over a seven-game stretch while outscoring its opponents 62-27 to win the United States Specialty Sports Association 14U Iowa-Illinois State Championship.
The girls went 1-1 in pool play on Friday to begin the tournament, defeating the Iowa Renegades by a score of 5-1 before falling to the Iowa Outlaws 8-7 in a close battle. Express caught fire in the double elimination bracket, though, taking down both the Bi-County Thunder (17-0) and the Iowa Renegades (12-3) on Saturday to clinch a spot in the winners bracket finals.
Express exacted its revenge on the Iowa Outlaws Sunday morning, winning by a score of 7-3 to advance to the championship finals. But the Outlaws bounced back with a 9-7 win over the Iowa Renegades in the losers bracket finals before topping Express 7-6 in the first of a two-game championship set.
With both Express and the Iowa Outlaws carrying one loss, the two teams played a winner-take-all game for the USSSA title. Express took a 5-3 lead over the Outlaws behind starting pitcher Regan Underwood, and the girls added a few more insurance runs before reliever MeLisa Young held off a late Iowa rally to lock down the Express victory by a score of 8-5.
Three Express players tied for a team-high seven RBIs in the tournament including Underwood, Young and Kaitlyn Kobilsek. Kendal Ansteth chipped in five RBIs, while Jordin Dickey totaled four RBIs. Dickey and Underwood tied for a team-high 10 hits, with Dickey adding an inside-the-park home run.
Arianne Smith went 6-for-9 with three RBIs over the weekend, and Isella Zepeda went 8-for-15 while also recording three RBIs. Mackenzie Luchsinger finished third on the team with nine hits, with Heidi Cruz contributing six hits and one RBI. Ashley Knight went 1-for-4 to round out the Express squad.
