Tri-State Thunder Silver wins four consecutive tourney titles

Tri-State Thunder Silver 14U shown after winning four straight tournament titles.

The Tri-State Thunder 14U Silver fastpitch softball team achieved unprecedented success during the 2007 season. During one stretch the team won four consecutive championship level tournaments featuring teams from across the Eastern seaboard.

Thunder Silver went undefeated in the 2007 14U ASA Father's Day Tournament held in Cumberland, Md. the weekend of June 16-17. Teams from Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland participated in the 14U age group. The Tri- State Thunder 14U Silver went undefeated in pool play to earn the top seed and continued undefeated in the elimination play including an 11-1 win over the host team, Cumberland Heat Blue, for the championship.

Thunder Silver won the Keystone Cup 14U PONY Tourney in Shippensburg the weekend of June 22-24. Eleven teams from six states participated from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. The Tri-State Thunder 14U Silver earned the number two seed in its six pool play games and outscoring opponents by a 40-10 margin.

In Sunday's elimination play, the Thunder Silver defeated Lackawanna Lightning of PA by a score of 12-0. Then the Thunder defeated the Mason Dixon Blaze Black 8-0 in the semifinals. Ultimately, the Thunder played the highlytouted Orange Crush of Midway, Del., and in a seesaw battle came from behind to win 3- 2 in the championship game.

Thunder Silver won the USSSA 14U Stars and Stripes Tourney Championship held in Newville the weekend of June 30 to July 1. The Thunder 14U Silver went undefeated in the tournament and had to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the semifinals to overcome the Cumberland Heat Red by a score of 4-3. Thunder then went on to defeat the Wyoming Valley Flames in the finals 3-0 for the championship.

Thunder Silver won the PONY 14U Firecracker Invitational and College Showcase Tourney Championship held in St. Thomas the weekend of July 6-8. In the Firecracker tourney teams participated from Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut. The Thunder Silver went undefeated in six pool play games on Friday and Saturday, and continued that streak into Sunday's elimination play ultimately going 9-0 in the tourney, and prevailing by an 8-3 score in the championship game against the Mason Dixon Blaze Red.

The Tri-State Thunder 14U Silver finished the season by playing in the 16U level, and earned second place in the USSSA 16U Andrea Gantt Memorial Tournament the weekend of July 14-15.

The season finale came at the at the PONY 14U National Tournament in Cary, N.C. the week of July 21-25. At PONY Nationals, the Thunder won five games, tied one game and lost two games to finish the season with a final record of 74 wins, 13 losses and four ties.

The Tri-State Thunder 14U Silver players include (alphabetically with school): Lauren Abbott (Boonsboro), Autumn Appleby (Greencastle-Antrim), Megan Baker (Waynesboro), Katelyn Baughman (Chambersburg), Emily Estep (Chambersburg), Ashlynn Hartman (Chambersburg), Erin Lisko (Waynesboro), Amber Martz (Waynesboro), Danielle Miller (Waynesboro), Shanan Plunkett (North Hagerstown), Hailee Rohrback (Thomas Johnson), Elisabeth Sharpe (South Hagerstown) and Katie Zak (Waynesboro). The coaching staff includes, Chris Abbott, Scott Estep and Doug Appleby.