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July 14, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels July 6, 2004 Ashland 12-and-under softball team takes title By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings The Ashland Bandits weren't really sure they should make the trip to Waldport, on the Oregon coast, for the 12-and-under ASA fastpitch softball state tournament. "We had played average ball all year," Bandits head coach John Souza said. "We had been a little under a .500 team." Ashland's 12-and-under ASA softball team poses for the camera after winning the state title recently. The Bandits came back from an early loss to emerge from the loser's bracket and win the tournament. Contributed photo After some discussion among coaches, players and parents, the team decided to register for the tournament and wrap up their mediocre season at the three-day, double-elimination tournament over the Fourth of July weekend. It turned out to be a good idea. The Bandits emerged from the losers' bracket of pool play to win the state title. "We knew the potential of the girls was there because we had seen it," Souza said. "Three years ago they were undefeated as a minor Little League team." However, during the team's first season of ASA softball in 2003, the girls won just three games. This year hadn't been stellar either. "We'd had our share of losses this season," Souza said. "We had real high expectations of them because we knew there was so much more to them than what we were seeing." The Bandits started off strong, winning their opening game 11-0 over Forest Grove on Friday. However, in its next game, Ashland suffered a 5-4 loss to Gold Beach. The decision sent the Bandits into the losers' bracket and could have regulated the team to consolation play. "They lost that first game and, if anything, it made them mad," Souza said. "It made them determined." A different Bandit team took the field for Ashland's third game in the tournament. The squad had been a strong hitting team throughout the season, but fell short on the defensive end. Against Newport, there was no question who the stronger team was, as Ashland put together a 9-1 win. "They just stepped up like you would not believe," Souza said. "Our defense hadn't been as strong as it needed to be and they just stepped up tenfold. Boy, after they won their third or fourth game in a row that was it." On Sunday morning, the Bandits had work to do. At 8 a.m. the team faced Rampage, a Portland-area squad, and rallied to a 13-5 win. At 10 a.m. the Bandits had to play Gold Beach again, the team that had thrown them into the consolation bracket four games prior. This time, things went differently. Ashland recorded a 7-4 victory that knocked Gold Beach out of the running for the championship title. The win set up a two-game set versus Eugene, the only undefeated team remaining. If Ashland were to lose the first game, everything would be over for the girls. "We had played about 34 games during the regular season and we'd played about three different tournaments, but never that many games in that short amount of time," Souza said. The first game, at noon, could have gone the other way, but the Bandits eked out a 7-5 victory. But the girls didn't have time to rest, even though they played three games in less than six hours. At 2 p.m., they returned to the field to have one last go-around with Eugene. Ashland eclipsed Eugene 11-2 in the championship matchup to win the 12-and-under ASA state title. "I've never seen a team, in one tournament, gain the confidence I've seen these kids," Souza said. "In six games, they just stepped up. Even when they made an error in the field they shook it off and didn't let it bother them. It was amazing. I've never seen anything like it." Members of Ashland's 12-and-under softball team were: Smith Freeman; Hayley Ross; Jordoyn Cox; A.J. Bottimore; Monica Palmesano; Kourtney Scoggins; Drew Van Vleck; Piper Cantrell; Carly Santee; Elizabeth Westmorland; and Natalie Knight. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams