Successful Summer Continues for Heat 12-Year-Olds

Such is the challenge of travel-ball softball: Just when you think you’ve conquered the world, another challenge emerges.

That's certainly the case for the 12-and-under team that ventured into “A” Division play for the first time this summer.

The team coached by Charlie Slack won its third tournament last weekend, taking the Napa Valley Express event.

This weekend, the club will head to Davis for its final tournament of the summer season. And that means the end of the road.

Beginning in the fall, many of the girls will move on to the 14-and-under division. In fact, Slack already has scheduled Fall Ball tryouts.

So much for resting on their laurels.

There’s still one more trophy to pursue as a 12A team, and if the Heat can recapture its form from last weekend, the program would be wise to clear room for more hardware in the trophy case.

Last weekend, the Heat capped an undefeated venture through the Napa Valley field with a 12-3 victory over the San Mateo Slammers in the finals.

Thanks to the fine pitching of Carly Slack, the clutch hitting of Rebecca Simonetti and the outstanding play of Nicole Marino in center field, the Heat handed the Slammers their first loss of the weekend with the tournament title on the line.

Earlier, Ashley Bottomley pitched a shutout in a 15-0 win over the Petaluma Steal Breeze; Sam Tong, Olivia Dallara and Marino contributed key hits to a 3-2 win over the Santa Rosa Hackers; and Dixie Thompson went the distance on the mound in a 3-3 tie with the Concord Lady Hawks.

The Heat won a rematch with the Hackers 6-2 with Thompson and Slack sharing the pitching in Sunday’s semifinals to earn its shot at the Slammers in the finals.

12B

Emily Kibbe’s defense and Tehya Wheeler’s hitting provided the highlights as the Heat, a "B" Division squad, went winless against “A”-level competition at Incline Village.

In losses to the West Coast Ghosts of Rohnert Park, Marin Blue Angels and Morgan Hill (twice), Kibbe was spectacular at shortstop team and Wheeler had three hits in six at-bats.

Molly Dwyer, pitching competitively for the first time in three years, threw seven outstanding innings against very strong hitters. Kambria Chipman held her own at the plate against the tough competition.

8B Gold

A week after winning a tournament in Rohnert Park, the Heat Gold 8-and-under team went 1-2-1 in a three-day tournament at Santa Clara.

The win was 12-0 over the Shockwave Blue.

In the first inning, eight straight Heat batters -- Kayla Simonetti, Courtney Simonetti, Jianna Franklin, Alexis Bishop, Summer Lake, Melissa McNair, Zoe Matheson and Kelsey McIvor-Tingle – hit safely.

The Heat continued to score in ensuing innings with Tereza Shea, Kaitlyn Jigalin and Lucy Mogan getting into the offensive act. Shea and Bishop combined for the shutout.

“All of the girls played hard, gave it their best and never gave up all weekend,” reported Gold coach Julie Simonetti. “We (the coaches) couldn't be any more proud of them and the effort they've given throughout the summer season.”

The Heat fell 8-4 to the Campbell Crush in the elimination game, having rallied from an 8-1 deficit in the fourth inning to score three runs. The inning featured a triple by Courtney Simonetti and hits by Bishop, Lake, Matheson and McIvor-Tingle.

The Heat’s first run was knocked in by Bishop. Kayla Simonetti struck out four in the first two innings, and McNair struck out three batters looking in the third inning.

In a 2-2 tie against the Santa Clara Sparks, McNair struck out the side in a perfect first inning, and the Heat grabbed a 2-0 lead after a first inning featuring Lake’s RBI double.

In a 4-1 loss to the San Mateo Slammers, Franklin scored the Heat’s lone run on McNair’s bases-loaded single in the first inning. Jigalin made an impressive catch to end a Slammers rally.