Southampton Storm 14U won the Softball Nation Towe Tussle tournament in Charlottesville on April 21.

The tournament began early in the morning and the championship game ended just before midnight Saturday. The team faced inclement weather, long delays and field changes in order to win the tournament by beating the Albemarle Redbirds 6-4.

“Each member of the team contributed to the win,” coach Sean Wade said. “Our team has four great pitchers — Katelyn Cobb, Bailey Griffin, Kelby Lewis and Katie Peelen — and all four pitched great today. Each won a game as a starter, and Katie Peelen had two saves.”

The championship game was a culmination of the day’s efforts by all the players. An offense led by August Ringer, Katelyn Cobb, Brittany Wade, Audrey Armstrong, Viviana Martinez and Bailey Griffin — along with timely bunts and hits by Kelby Lewis, Allie Holt and Katie Peele — helped the team score in the first two innings.

Siarra Hair scored a crucial run off the hit of third-baseman Viviana Martinez. The outfield (Audra Nahrebecki, August Ringer and Audrey Armstrong) was also solid.

The Redbirds tried to take back the momentum in the middle of the game, but the Storm had a few defensive game-changers. Catcher Brittany Wade caught a runner off guard stealing second, while a Redbirds player on third base was unable to steal home due to shortstop Kelby Lewis’ quick tag and play.

Another great defensive play involved four players — Audrey Armstrong, Allie Holt, Bailey Griffin and Brittany Wade. A deep hit to right field was fielded by Armstrong, relayed to second-baseman Holt and then thrown to pitcher Griffin, who turned and threw the ball to catcher Wade to get one of the outs in the last inning.

With two outs, one runner on base and the tie run at the plate, Griffin struck out the batter to win the game.

“That’s how this team is,” Wade said. “They are a true team, they sacrifice for the team, they play as a team and win as a team, and that’s what makes me proud of this win.”

Southampton Storm Fastpitch is a local travel team organization that has three teams competing in Softball Nation, NSA and USSSA tournaments. The teams are composed of local talented fastpitch players from Franklin, Southampton County, Prince George County, Dinwiddie County, Sussex County, Isle of Wight County and Suffolk.