14U take championship in the Virginia Beach Sftball Nation Summer Blast, played on June 21-22, 2008 in Virginia Beach, VA.

The Virginia Batbusters 14U fast-pitch softball team got it’s season off to a great start this month, following up a second place finish in the 16th annual Beach Blast with a championship at the Softball Nation Summer Blast June 21 and 22. The girls played their first game Saturday, winning handily against the Virginia Beach Hurricanes, 7-1. Brittany Jordan pitched beautifully, striking out nine and allowing only one run. Offensively, Mary Williams went 3-3 at the plate with a triple to her credit, and Jilly Everett went 2-3 with a double. Game 2 also resulted in a victory, pitting the Batbusters against the Peninsula Stars. Megan Dent started on the mound, with relief in the 3rd inning from Brittany Jordan. The girls held off the Stars for an 8-4 win. Clara Quinones was 3-3, contributing two doubles offensively. Saturday’s final game matched the Batbusters against the also undefeated Class Action Scrappers from Roanoke, Virginia. Taylor Distefano pitched a tough game, striking out nine, but ultimately lost, 5-1. Kasey VonEngel was the standout hitter for the Batbusters this game, going 2-3 at the plate.

Sunday’s first match-up resulted in another victory for the Batbuster girls, with a defeat of the Galaxy 4-1. Distefano remained strong on the mound, striking out twelve and allowing only 1 run. The Galaxy pitcher struggled defensively, giving up multiple walks. Dent hit a double with the bases loaded by walks. The Championship game was a rematch of Saturday’s final game, however this time the Batbusters triumphed, beating the Class Action Scrappers 9-5. Jordan pitched, striking out four and allowing four runs. Williams set the tone for the Batbuster offense in her first at bat, hitting an inside the park homerun, finishing the game 3-4 at the plate. Jordan and Quinones both hit clutch doubles with runners on 2nd and 3rd. Everett went 3-4 at the plate, with Distefano, Dent, and VonEngel going 2-4.

The Virginia Batbusters are managed by Danny Williams, with assistance from Pat Dent, Chico Quinones and Danny Jordan.

14U place SECOND in Gold Bracket in the Softball Nation's End of Season Show Stopper played on Nov. 10-11, 2007 at Briarfield Park, Hampton, VA.

Saturday morning was a cold and windy. Games were delayed until 12:00pm due to early rain and all games were limited to one hour and five minutes in length. In Saturday's pool play, the 14U team lost it's first game against the Virginia Legends Blue (12 - 3). Makayla pitched. In the second game, the 14U won against The Rivanna Rebels (7 - 0). Taylor pitched. It was great to see Taylor back into the pitching rotation, after a two month layoff due to medical problems with her back. In the last game of Saturday's pool play, the 14U lost a close game to the Hurricane Fast Pitch Club (1 - 0), as their bats remained silent. Makayla pitched. All 14U teams were ranked and placed in the Gold bracket for Sunday's Tournament. If you lost in the Gold bracket Sunday, during the first round, you then moved down into the Silver bracket and played for that title. Overall, on Saturday, the 14U team remained strong defensively and offensively (other than game #1).

In the first game Sunday, the 14U team played the Peninsula Stars Red and won (4 - 1). Makayla pitched. This win moved the 14U into the Gold bracket (a first for the 14U), for the remainder of the tournament.

In their second game, the 14U won against the Hurricane Fast Pitch Club (5 - 1), a team they had lost to on Saturday. Taylor pitched. Mary had a well placed triple in this game. A great defensive and strong offensive game. This win placed the 14U Bat Busters into the Gold Bracket Championsip game assuring themselves of either a championship or second place finish in this Tournament.

In their third game Sunday, for the Gold Bracket Championship, they again played the Virginia Legends (a team they lost to on Saturday). In this game, everyone contributed to great defensive play, however, their bats remined silent and they again lost to the Virginia Legends (3 - 1). Makayla pitched. This game was a significant improvement over Saturday's play and the girls can be proud of a great Championship game. These final three tournaments (after switching from 12U to 14U for the 2007 Fall season), showed the 14U players that they are capable of playing very well at the 14U level, (a third place finish, a Silver bracket Championship, and a second place finish in the Gold bracket), and puts them in a good position for the 14U 2008 Fast Pitch Softball season. Congradulations the 12U and newly formed 14U players for a great 2007 season. You can be proud of yourselves.

14U take Silver Bracket Tournament Championship in the Pony Leaque's Trick or Treat Bash, played in Hopewell, VA on Oct 20-21, 2007.

Winding up an exhausting weekend of games, the Virginia Batbusters 14U Softball team was named Champion in the silver bracket of the Pony League Trick or Treat Bash in Hopewell, VA, October 20 & 21. Due to several injured team member’s inability to play, there was little chance for rest between most of the seven games as there were no additional players to cover positions. Pitcher Makayla Jenkins and catcher Kasey Von Engel stayed strong as the backbone of a victorious team.

The girls began Saturday’s play with a win against the Virginia Cougars (4-1), followed by losses to the Hanover Thunder (6-5) and the Wakefield Hornets (5-1). The Batbusters fought hard but were unsuccessful in their attempt to show their true ability to dominate these two teams. A bruised but tough Jessica Stott came through in style with a bases loaded triple against the Thunder, but it wasn’t enough to win on Saturday. A triple by Hannah Joyce against the Hornets also fell short of changing the outcome of the game. Makayla Jenkins pitched extremely well throughout the first two games, then was forced to relieve Ashley Williams in the third game after Williams was hit in the knee with a line drive.

Sunday’s competition saw the team in a fourth place ranking to begin the day. A loss to the Virginia Vixens (7-1) got them off to a slow start as sore bodies struggled both defensively and offensively. The following game once again pitted the Batbusters against the Cougars. Again the Batbuster girls dominated this team, beating them by a “slaughter-rule” score of 10-0. Pitcher Makayla Jenkins threw an outstanding game, chalking up her second career no hitter! Offensively, the Batbuster girls really picked up performance, with doubles by Mary Williams and Ashley Williams, two doubles by Hannah Joyce, and double and a triple by Taylor Denton. The win against the Cougars proved to be the incentive the girls needed to fire up their play going into the next two games. A second chance to challenge the Hornets saw an entirely different Batbusters team emerge as the winners to proceed to the Championship game. A near miss on a home run from Von Engel was the highlight of the Hornets battle. The team outscored the Hornets 4-1 and easily advanced to the Championship game. Once more pitted against the Hanover Thunder, the girls showed true determination and desire to win, ending regulation play tied 5-5. Under International Tie Breaker play, the girls bunted their way to a Championship title, winning 7-6.

Mention should be given to both Makayla Jenkins and Kasey Von Engel, both of whom played tirelessly, with Jenkins pitching 6 ¼ games and Von Engel catching all seven. MVPs were named in each game by the opposing teams. Ashley Williams received MVP honors in the first and fourth, Jessica Stott in the second and third, Mary Williams in the fifth and seventh, and Makayla Jenkins in the sixth. Jenkins was also the coaches’ pick for tournament MVP! The 14U Batbuster girls are coached by Danny Williams and Lee Stotesberry.

The newly formed 12U Bat Busters played in their first tournament- the Pony Leaque Trick or Treat Bash in Hopewell, VA on Oct 20, 2007.

The 12U girls got their first taste of tournament ball Saturday October 20, 2007 at the Pony League Trick-or-Treat Bash IV held in Hopewell, Virginia. With less than two months of practice and notably smaller than the other teams, the players and coaches were unsure as to what to expect. Everyone involved was both nervous and anxious at the same time. The three games played, allotted the girls the opportunity to learn the value of teamwork.

The first two games were viewed as practice for the girls and emphasized as such. The opposing team in the first game began working on their short game which resulted in great practice for the girls. Several fielded bunts and throws by Cheyenne Hogge (catcher) and Alexis Mielnik (pitcher) to Nina Garland (1st base) resulted in outs. By the third game, the team showed much improvement. Although an effort was made by the team, the final result of the tournament was 0 and 3. The girls did not leave Hopewell with a game victory, but they did leave with knowledge and the respect of the more experienced 14U team whom many of the girls look up to.

Cheyenne Hogge (catcher) was awarded MVP for the first and third games with Haley Sullivan (pitcher) taking the MVP award for the second. The first strikeout of the game came from Makenzie Green (pitcher). Cheyenne (catcher) and Jami Williams (3rd base) gained an out and prevented a run with the games only run-down. Cheyenne didn’t stop with the run down; she prevented several runs with tags at the plate. Rhiannon Miller (SS) had a notable inning with two caught fly balls and a throw to first resulting in a double play.

The entire team is to be commended for their efforts and perseverance. The game is not won or lost by a single player, but as a team. The BatBusters 12U girls have the ability to be a formidable opponent and by the spring 2008 tournament season will be a force to be reckoned with. Congratulations to the girls for a job well done.

14U Bat Busters take 3rd place in the Softball Nation's Moving Up Classic played on Oct 13-14, 2007 at Dorey Park, Richmond.

In Saturday's pool play, the 14U team lost games against the Northern Neck Rage (5 - 2), Southside Slammers (7 - 2), and a close game against the Bayliners (1 - 0) placing them as the third seed in the Silver bracket, for Sunday's double elimination round. Again, the 14U Bat Busters were strong defensively and weak offensively.

In Sunday's double elimination rounds, the 14U team finally had a strong offensive game against the Stingers, easily winning (9 -2). Casey had 4 RBI's in this game. In the second game, the 14U BatBusters lost a heartbreaker to the Williamsburg's Starz (4-3) in the bottom of the seventh after leading (3 - 1) going into the bottom of the seventh. Except for mental errors in the bottom of the seventh, the 14U BatBusters would have played for the Silver bracket Title as they had this game won. Casey's hitting continued to be very strong with two doubles. Special kudo's to Makayla for pitching 5 complete games, this weekend, an outstanding achievement as Taylor was unable to pitch for medical reasons.