2019 Spring splash results
10U Division - 231 Fusion Prevails Over Lady RiverDawgs
The 231 Fusion 10U team served notice that they will be a force all summer by capturing the 2019 Spring Splash title with an 8-0 victory over the Saginaw Bay Lady RiverDawgs.
The final, played in a steady drizzle, matched two organizations with a rich history of success in Traverse City. The Lady RiverDawgs caught fire in Sunday's bracket play and won two straight games to reach the finals. But the Fusion, as they appear poised to do on a regular basis, wore down their opponent with a combination of excellent pitching and timely hitting. Great job, ladies!
Above, the Fusion and Lady RiverDawgs pose for a post-game photo.
12U Division - Elite DeVries Wins A Thriller Vs. Hometown Waves
The 12U division of the 2019 Spring Splash was a knockdown, drag out affair all weekend! There were many fine teams that battled for a coveted spot in the Final Four, but when the dust settled (helped by the Sunday rain!) the Elite-DeVries squad out of the Grandville area emerged as champions by defeating the Traverse City Waves, 6-4.
Joe DeVries' team went undefeated during the tournament, allowing just three runs in pool play. In the semifinals, the Elite team got past Bolts-Orange, while the Waves edged Sean Wright's Elite 11U team on the other side of the bracket. In the finals, the two remaining teams battled back and forth in one of the most exciting 12U finals in memory. Elite-DeVries broke open a 2-2 tie in teh fourth inning by scoring two unearned runs with two out. The Waves scored in the next inning to close to within one, but two more unearned runs provided the cushion that the Elite team needed to take the title. Congratulations, All....!!!
Elite-DeVries and the TC Waves mug for the cameras following the title game (above)
14U Division - Expos Top 231 Fusion In Title Game; Diamonds Defeat Crush In Consolation Final
The game seemed like a rematch of several big games in the Summer Tournament Series in recent years: Michigan Expos vs. 231 Fusion. This year's 14U championship final matching the powerful teams was another great game, with the Expos coming out on top, 8-5.
Kevin Brigham's squad has shown continuous improvement over the past three years--congratulations, ladies!
In the consolation final, Bernie Butgereit's Diamonds team rolled past the Tecumseh Crush, 13-5. Nice finish, both teams!
10U Lady RiverDawgs Player Crushes Over-The-Fence Home Run
The Saginaw Bay Lady RiverDawgs captured runner-up honors in the 10U division of the 2019 Spring Splash, and one of the reasons was the play of All-Tournament Team performer Kayla Flores. The young first baseman achieved a first in Traverse City tournament history by clobbering a home run that carried approximately 200 feet. Nicely done, Kayla (shown batting, above).
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PAGING KYLE J. MILLER
If anyone knows Kyle J. Miller, please let him know that his VISA debit card was found at SEAS Middle School on Saturday. We can send it to him if he still wants it....email us (JSBrunner777@yahoo.com)
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THANK YOU, EVERYONE
...a quick note of thanks to our visiting teams for participating in the 2019 Spring Splash tournament. We hope your families and players enjoyed the weekend in Traverse City as much as we enjoyed hosting your teams and watching all of the young players in action.
2019 All-Tournament Team
Here it is! The list of top performers in the 2019 Spring Splash...congratulations, ladies!!! Coaches: If your players are not listed and you would like to give them some recognition, please email your selections (JSBrunner777@yahoo.com) and we will include them on the All-Tournament Team.
10U Division
Claire Hurley - TC Thunder
Reese Jones - TC Thunder
Keeley Peace - Saginaw Bay Lady RiverDawgs
Kayla Flores - Saginaw Bay Lady RiverDawgs
Jaiden Ossana - Saginaw Bay Lady RiverDawgs
Samantha Thackery - Lady RiverDawgs
Addie Mathie - Traverse City Waves
Anna Tabaczka - Traverse City Waves
Claire McDaniel - 231 Fusion
Piper Cavanaugh - 231 Fusion
Makayla Kozlowski - 231 Fusion
Abi Yuhaus - 231 Fusion
12U Division
Sophia Paluk - Northville Broncos
Lily Barringer - Northville Broncos
Eden Dalrymple - Grandville Dawgs Black
Kylee Austin - Grandville Dawgs Black
Alyssa Colvin - Moran Iron Works Vulcans
LeMay Sullivan - Moran Iron Works Vulcans
Alivia Kukla - Bolts Orange
Haylen McLaughlin - Bolts Orange
Haleigh Yocum - 231 Fusion
Addison Balentine - 231 Fusion
Hunter St. Peter - 231 Fusion
Pharis Carroll - Michigan Expos - Gray
Ally Thcunick - Michigan Expos - Gray
Allison Wright - Elite 11U
Makenzie Cammenga - Elite 11U
Cam Craig - Traverse City Waves
Audrey Williams - Traverse City Waves
Zoey Jetter - Traverse City Waves
Evelyn Nowicki - Traverse City Waves
14U Division
Rylie Haist - Michigan Expos
Lilly Federeau - Michigan Expos
Josie Cornell - Michigan Expos
Veronica Lofquist - Michigan Expos
Gracie Cooper - Grand Rapids Diamonds
Gracyn Card - Grand Rapids Diamonds
Allee Shepherd - Traverse City Waves
Sophie Hardy - Traverse City Waves
Spring Splash Tournament Champions
2019
10U Division
Champion - 231 Fusion Fastpitch
Runner Up - Saginaw Bay Lady RiverDawgs
12U Divison
Champion - Elite - DeVries
Runner Up - Traverse City Waves
14U Division
Champion - Michigan Expos
Runner Up - 231 Fusion Fastpitch
Consolation Winner - Diamonds
Consolation Runner-Up - Tecumseh Crush
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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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2018 Spring Splash
2018 Spring Splash Recap
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...
2018 All-Tournament Team
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 13U
Spring Splash Tournament Champions
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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Stay At The Great Wolf Lodge!
LOTS of teams make the Great Wolf Lodge their Home Base when they're in Traverse City for a softball weekend. Contact Brett Bowman at 231-534-9074 (bbowman@greatwolf.com) the to line up your team's stay!