Spring Splash

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Mid-Michigan Heat Stages Epic Comeback In 14U!!!  12U  Lady Riverdawgs 12U Slug Their Way To Victory!!!  Michigan Expos Make It Back-To-Back Titles At 10U!!!

The Traverse City Waves Summer Softball Series got off to a rollicking start as teams from around the state showed their skills at sites all around the city.  

There were five--FIVE!!!--over the fence home runs belted in 12U division games over the weekend.  Shaun Gray's Michigan Expos repeated as 10U champions by edging an excellent Lakeshore Storm team, 3-2.  But the most jaw-dropping result was in the 14U division...

The fact that one team or the other won was not surprising at all.  Two tournament heavyweights--the 231 Fusion Fastpitch squad and the Mid-Michigan Heat met in LAST year's final, won by the Fusion.  Both squads have a history of making long tournament runs here in Traverse City, and once again they mowed through bracket play on another collision course toward the title game.

In the championship match, the Fusion ambushed the Heat with four runs in the first inning and six more in the second.  Down 10-0, Tim Robinson's squad mounted the greatest championship game comeback in Traverse City tournament history, dating back to 2006.  The Heat chipped away with a single run in the third, added more runs in the fourth and fifth, but found themselves down 11-6 with two outs in the sixth inning.  Three times the Heat was down to its final STRIKE! Amazingly, Heat batters strung together two-out hit after two-out hit, helped along by a few Fusion miscues.  Finally, the comeback was completed with a single that drove home two runs, sending the Heat bench and their fans into a frenzy!  It was a terrific game between two exceptional teams that will win a lot of games this summer.  Congratulations to both teams on a super-exciting game!!!

In addition to the Expos victory in 10U--the organization's second in a row at that age group--the Saginaw Bay Lady Riverdawgs 12U squad was too much for a good, young Elite 11U team, 12-3, in the championship final in the 12U division.

In the consolation brackets, Juan Rolon's Outlaws 13U team edged Rich Steenstra's Grandville Dawgs, 7-6, in ANOTHER exciting 14U division game at SEAS.  In the 12U division, the West Michigan Outlaws Blue defeated the Northville Broncos 11U, 8-0.

A big THANK YOU to all the teams, players, families and fans that attended and helped to make the Spring Splash a success!  We hope to see you again next year...

 Thank you to all of the teams that participated in the opening weekend of the Traverse City Waves Summer Softball Series!  Here are the All-Tournament selections as nominated by the coaching staffs.  Coaches:  If your team and players are missing and you would like to nominate up to two of your players to be added to the All-Tournament Team, please send a note and we will add your player(s) to the list.

10U Division 
Addison Spicer-Michigan Blasters
Kennedi Ryan-Michigan Blasters 

Audrey Williams-TC Waves

Hayden Boonstra-TC Waves

Zoey Jetter-TC Waves 

Macy Pohlad-231 Fusion

Piper Cavanaugh-231 Fusion 

Madison Wyckoff-Lakeshore Storm 

Ella Showers-Lakeshore Storm

12U Division
Courtney Witten-W. Mich. Outlaws

Avery Matthysse-W. Mich. Outlaws.
Lauren Berghorst-W. Mich. Outlaws

Livia Bisonet-W. Mich. Outlaws 

Maggie Napont-TC Waves 12U 

Hannah Grahn-TC Waves 12U 

Allee Shepherd-TC Waves 12U 

Leah Simetz-231 Fusion

Taylor Noble-231 Fusion 

Olivia Mikowski-231 Fusion

Lilly Stidham-Batbusters 

Audrey Pearsall-Batbusters

Anna Weber-Northville Broncos 

Anna Wilds-Northville Broncos 

Emma Case-Riverdawgs 12U 

Bitsy Shea-Riverdawgs 12U 

Raina Bonus-Riverdawgs 12U 

Jacquie Peters-Riverdawgs 12U   

14U Division  

Madison Travis-Mid-Michigan Heat 

Sawyer Gerow-Mid-Michigan Heat

Kate Pnacek-Mid-Michigan Heat 

Alexis Grove-Mid-Michigan Heat 

Lexi Hamstra-231 Fusion

Brooke Meeker-231 Fusion

Sophie Wisniski-231 Fusion

Kaci Sowers-231 Fusion 

Allison Urlaub-Alpena Thundercats

Lindsay Donajkowski-Alpena Thundercats

Riley Brigham-Expos 14U Brigham 

Skylar Baumgardner-Expos 14U Brigham

Ashley Veldheer-Diamonds 

Annika Talsma-Diamonds 

Emma Torres-Outlaws 13U

Patricia Misiak-Outlaws 13U 

Leslie Hamilton-TC Thunder 13U

Lauren Steenstra-Grandville Dawgs 

Marissa Menard-Grandville Dawgs

McKenzie Reed-TC Thunder 13U 

Catelyn Heethuis-TC Thunder 13

2018

10U Division

Champion - Michigan Expos

Runner Up - Lakeshore Storm

12U Division

Champion - Riverdawgs 12U

Runner Up - Elite 11U

14U Division

Champion - Mid-Michigan Heat

Runner Up - 231 Fusion Fastpitch

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 2017

10U Division 
Champion - Michigan Expos

Runner Up - TC Thunder  

12U Division 

Champion - Diamonds

Runner Up - Michigan Expos

14U Division

Champion - 231 Fusion Fastpitch

Runner Up - Mid-Michigan Heat

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2016

10U Division
Champion - Batbusters 

Runner Up - Northville Broncos

12U Division 

Champion - Port Huron Predators

Runner Up - MSA Renegades  

14U Division 

Champion - Michigan Sabercats

Runner Up -  231 Fusion Fastpitch

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 Click on the Farmers Insurance logo to visit Jim's website and find out how he will work together with you to find the perfect plan for your insurance needs.  Offices in Cadillac, Traverse City and Kaleva.  Call Jim at 231-775-7778. 

If you're a team manager or coach of a 10U, 12U or 14U team, make plans to be in Traverse City on the weekend of June 8-9, for the 2019 Spring Splash tournament.  The Spring Splash is a great way to kickoff the summer season by combining our quality tournament with a mini-vacation in Traverse City....run by local people who live in, and know, Traverse City.

 Thank you to the Great Wolf Lodge for  sponsoring the 2018 Waves Summer Softball Series!  Visiting teams:  Contact Zac Malewitz at 231-534-9074 or zmalewitz@greatwolf.com to reserve rooms for the tournament weekends.