2019 Women's Major Softball
National Championship
August 1-4, Stratford, CT
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Lyons Spirit take down 23U Eliminators, Advance to WMS Finals Aug 5 – by Jeff Glazer – The Lyons Spirit have come from out of the Loser's Bracket to fight their way to the WMS Finals where they will take on the Stratford Brakettes with the National Championship on the line.To get the game underway, the Lyons Spirit managed to put two runners in scoring position against Eliminators hurler Morgan Perry, however, they were unable to get either of them across. The Spirit would not let the opportunity go to waste a second time. Elaine Bedell would knock in a run with an RBI single in the top of the second giving the Pennsylvania team an early lead. Another run would come home in the top of third, this time Danielle Kitchen delivered the RBI single and it was 2-0 quickly.  Jenn Shellhammer was given the ball for the Lyons Spirit in this one and she was nearly unhittable to start this one. Shellhammer had things under control and gave the Spirit the chance to put more runs on the board, retiring the Eliminators hitters quickly and efficiently.The Spirit would load the bases in the top of the fifth, already sporting a lead but looking to pile it on in an all-important game. A groundball to short would get a run home with the runner Karen Bauer just able to sneak in safely. Another groundball, this one to second, would lead to another run as the Eliminators would trade a run for an out. The inning continued and with two away and runners at second and third, a slow roller to third looked to be the final out of the inning but some confusion as to whether there was a force at the bag or not would prove to be costly for the Eliminators. Another Spirit run would come across and just like that, it was a 5-0 game.  However, the Eliminators would finally manage to dent Shellhammer's fantastic outing. Maria Moccio knocked in two with a huge single back up the middle in the bottom of the sixth. A throwing error would get another across and moving into the final inning of play, with a spot in the championship game on the line, the Spirit led the Eliminators 5-3.But that lead would soon grow in a big way. With Genna Hartman on in relief of Perry, the Spirit would load the bases. Hartman issued a walk, forcing a run home. Another run came across with a fielder's choice to make it two in the inning. Already a 7-3 game, two straight wild pitches from second reliever Allie Wheeler gave the Spirit a more than comfortable 9-3 lead going into the final half inning. Shellhammer had more than enough room to finish this one off and the Lyons Spirit, on the back of some solid baserunning and excellent pitching, advance to the finals of the 2019 WMS National Tournament where they will take on the Stratford Brakettes. It certainly will not be an easy match-up for the Spirit. Back in pool play, the Brakettes won handily by a score of 7-0. Both teams will have everything to play for in their next game.
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