The Galaxy 18U fastpitch softball team placed fifth out of 53 teams at the Pony Nationals in Ohio this summer. The team, which consists of girls from Suffolk, Smithfield, Courtland, Disputanta, Hampton and Capron, came together with determination and teamwork.

The competition began with the Opening Ceremonies on Saturday at the Eastwood Field (home of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers) with a luau theme. All the teams (53 18U teams and 78 16U teams) paraded around the baseball field in hula skirts and leis trying to win the prize of best dressed. After the parade, the girls were given a chance to exchange pins with the other teams that were from all over, including teams from Russia, the Czech Republic and Canada.

The seeding games started Saturday afternoon and lasted until Sunday. The Galaxy finished second in its bracket.

The double-elimination tournament started Monday. The girls lost the first round and were sent to the losers’ bracket and that set the pace for a long haul. Anyone affiliated with softball knows that this is not the way to go.

On Wednesday morning, the Galaxy was up at 5:30 a.m. to make it to the ball fields by 7 for an 8 a.m. game against a No. 1-seeded team. Because of the number of teams in the tournament, the girls had to stay in Pennsylvania which was 60 miles away.

The girls felt that since they had to get up so early they needed to make it worth their time. They went out there and played one of the best games that they could, winning 7-0. Sarah Saunders, a pitcher from Lakeland, pitched a perfect game and Whitney Holland, a 2007 graduate from King’s Fork who is now playing at St. John’s River Community College in Florida, hit a grand slam.

Wednesday afternoon, the Galaxy had to face another top-seeded team from New York. The Galaxy won 3-0 and that put them into the elite eight.

After playing a tight defense against the Delaware Diamonds, the Galaxy ended up losing 4-1.

For many of the girls this was their last tournament together as a team. Seven of the girls will continue their softball at the college level. Brittany Irvine is the last original member of the Galaxy organization. Coaches Bill Wheeler and Jeff Irvine were happy with the way their team came together when it needed too.