Storm rips through Little Creek event
Published 10:18 pm Thursday, June 26, 2014
The 10U Suffolk Storm celebrates after winning the Little Creek National All-Star softball tournament this past weekend in Norfolk. Front row, from left: Abigail Byrum, Megan Keith, Hannah Willman, Gabrielle Catt, Danielle Riddle, Amaya Allen and Shelby Knaak; middle row, from left: Charley Collins, Brooke Drames, Jenna Nicolski, Brylee Clark, Kaity Seward, Jaelynn Lawrence and Elizabeth Hobbs; back row, from left: Coaches Michael Clark, Mark Knaak, Michelle Drames, Earl Collins and Russell Keith. (Submitted Photo)
The 10U Suffolk Youth Athletic Association all-star softball team known as the Suffolk Storm exhibited the power that can come with extra practice when it dominated the Little Creek National All-Star Tournament this past weekend in Norfolk.
Storm coach Michael Clark said his team had been practicing together even before the all-star teams formed.
This particular group “was our original Sunday Select team,” he said. “It was what we thought was going to be our all-star team.”
They thought correctly, and the numbers from the Little Creek tourney seem to indicate the girls benefited greatly.
The Storm went 5-0 during the event, winning the championship in a mercy-rule shortened 11-1 four-inning victory over the Tidewater Lady Tides, a 10U travel team.
“They played fantastic,” Clark said of his team, highlighting its hitting and base-running. Then he added, “I don’t think they got one hit off our pitcher.”
It was the second no-hitter Elizabeth Hobbs threw during the tournament.
She receives pitching instruction from Krista Sowers of the Pitch a Fit FastPitch Center. Reflecting on her performance in the Little Creek tourney title game, Hobbs said, “I felt all that pitching practice was worth it.”
Clark also praised Gabrielle Catt for her play on the mound earlier in the event, highlighting a 12-2 win against a Southern Chesapeake team in which she only gave up one run.
Charley Collins of Surry drew commendation for her great catches in the outfield and her offensive play, including having four runs batted in during the championship game.
Shortstop Amaya Allen proved to be strong both fielding the ball and hitting it.
“They all did good,” Clark said of his entire roster. “Those are kind of the four, the ones that shined.”
The Storm are now prepping for the Suffolk Youth Red, White and Blue All-Star softball tournament held at the SYAA Complex on Kings Fork Road from July 3 to 5.
Clark said efforts are currently underway to grow this event before its start date.
“Right now we have nine (teams),” he said. “We’re trying to get more.”
