The Scotts Valley Trouble club softball teams fared well at the annual Father’s Day Tournament in Salinas a weekend ago, with three of the four teams winning their age brackets.
10-and-under
This was the first tournament of the year for most of the players on the 10-and-under team. The team lost in the semifinals to the Watsonville Tremblers, who went on to win the tournament.
However, there were many highlights in the tournament for the Trouble.
Daria Maliesky, Claire Hartman, Nicole Neumann, Jessica Shrimer, Sydney Underwood, Jianna Andrews, Marie Franich, Kenedi Walters, Devin Derecho, Bailey Whittle, Ella Giguiere and Cameron Rasmussen all performed well, manager Kaila Walters said.
The team is managed by Walters and coached by Louie Walters.
12-and-under
The 12-and-under-Trouble came out swinging and played tough defense from the first game to the last. The tournament was highlighted by Emily Lemmon, who hit two home runs, and Nicole Trenchard, who had one home run and put in solid catching.
Sigrid Holtrop pitched two great games on Sunday, and Adrienne Smith finished the job Sunday night in the tournament finale.
Grace Giguiere hit a clutch home run in an 11-7 victory over the San Jose Twisters in the championship game.
By the end of the weekend, the team compiled a perfect 7-0 mark for the tournament. The team is managed by Jeff Liebenberg.
14-and-under
The 14-and-under Trouble team got off to a slow start in pool play Saturday with a win and two losses. However, on Sunday, the team turned it around, beating the Gilroy Spirit, San Jose Quicksilver and winning the championship game against the Hollister Heat, 9-3.
The team relied all weekend on strong pitching performances by Kelcey Correa and Angela Merring.
First year 14U player Charlie Boyle ignited the team Sunday by hitting a home run — one of two for her on the day — and Kyla Miller and Lela Bombaci added key hits. Michelle Ponos and Kelcey Correa each homered in the winning effort.
The 14U Trouble play again this weekend, Saturday, June 26, and Sunday, June 27, in the NorCal ASA Championships at Twin Creeks in Sunnyvale.
A good showing could result in the team qualifying for nationals in Clovis in early August. The team is managed by Dan Whitney, with coaches Nick Correa, John Bombaci and Gregg Pellemeier.
16-and-under
The 16-and-under team dominated the Salinas tournament, scoring 48 runs while yielding only two over the course of the weekend.
Trouble 10-run-ruled the Soledad Flash, 13-1, after four inning; did it again to the San Jose Blasters 15-0 after three innings; beat Central Valley Intensity, 6-0; beat SJ Quicksilver, 9-0; and beat Central Valley Intensity, 5-1 in the championship.
Alicia Pitts, Angela and Hyllery Hershberger, Ashley Price, Audrey Smith, Danica Houseman, Jessica Meyers, Jordan Rogers, Karlee Suba, Leah Viele, Mariah Lindberg, Michelle Hitt, Rita McCreesh and Valerie Silva all had strong performances.
The squad will play in the National qualifier tournament in Hayward Saturday, June 26, and Sunday, June 27. The team is managed by Matt Houseman, with coaches Don Meyers and Dave Rogers.
