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12u LIGHTNING TEAM goes 4-2, Falls in Semifinal Game

By Mikal Hunter, 02/19/19, 1:00PM PST

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The 12u Bolts took on many tasks this past weekend as the competition of teams and the weather would factor in every game. Game 1 of the President’s Day tournament the Bolts squared off against the Mountain Lions of AZ, a very back and forth game with both starters pitching well enough to win. Lucas S. pitched 4 strong innings only allowing soft contact and strikeouts. The Mountain Lions came out to a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first. They would only allow 3 hits.  Jack P. had a hit and an RBI, Lucas S. added a double and 2 RBI’s, and Xzavian J. tacked on the third and final hit. As the game progresses the boys made 7 errors allowing 11 runs to score in just five innings. The offense was stuck as they lost an early game in the tournament.

Game 2 of the day was a chance to get back in the win column and secure a chance to play on Monday. The Bolts would take on a tough task taking on a UT Vikings team that was victorious earlier in the day. Kenji O. pitched 4.2 innings allowing just 4 runs on 5 hits and striking out 2 batters. The offense picked up as we posted 11 runs on 8 hits and two big extra base hits from Big Kat H.  and Kole T. also had 3 hits an RBI in the victory against the Vikings. Errors were the direct factor in going 1-1 entering Sunday. Game 1 we committed 7 errors and lost, Game 2 we committed 2 errors and won.

Game 1, Sunday, needed to be the Bolts day if they wanted to make it to the next day of the tournament and a chance to compete in playoffs. Game 1 of Sunday was all about Jack P. as he went a CG, allowing 1 run on 5 hits and striking out 5. Jack P also added two hits to compliment his dominant pitching performance. The Bolts would score 4 runs on 6 hits. Chad L. and Ty K would have a hit and an RBI to secure the win over the Athletics 12u Black. A game with no error would dictate how effective how day could be. With being 2-1 going into the last game of pool play it was a must win for LVBA.

Game 2, Sunday, The Bolts would face a familiar foe in the LV Knights, a game that would seal the fate for the LVBA Lightnings weekend. With a win they move on and with a lost that would be the final game of the weekend for the Bolts. Dom L. would start the game for LVBA, going 4 innings giving up 6 runs and striking out two. Tanner T. would come in a seal the deal for the Bolts closing the game out with a 6-pitch inning. Offensively, LVBA would score 11 runs on 12 hits leading the charge was Big Kat H., who hit a huge two run homerun in the bottom of the 3rd, he would go 2-3 with 4 runs batted in. Kole T. and Jack P. would add on by collecting 3 hits each. Ty K., Lucas S., Eisa K., and Xzavian J. also collected a hit apiece. The Bolts would win another game without committing any errors. The Bolts would see another day by advancing as the 4 seed in pool A.

Monday Morning, the final day of the tournament, the boys needs three victories to complete the championship as they first faced off against the 1 seed of pool B, Project X. They had to take it one game at a time as Kole T. started the game against the one seed and battled through 2.1 innings giving up 3 runs on 3 walks and 2 punch-outs. Kenji O. would come in relief for 2.1 inning sealing the deal with allowing 0 runs on 3 strikeouts. The Bolts would go on to win 6-3 because yet again for the third game in a row the Bolts had 0 errors.

LVBA found themselves in a semifinal game against the NV Road Dawgs. The Bolts were on a 4-game winning streak entering the semifinal game on Monday.  The Bolts have a chance to play in the championship game on Monday with one more win over the Road Dawgs. Tanner T. went a solid 2 innings only fiving up 2 runs on 4 hits. The powerful Road Dawgs team took an early 2-0 and never looked back. With pitching efforts from Jack P and Kenji O the Bolts held them to only 3 runs on 10 hits. Offensively, little effort was given from LVBA as they recorded 3 hits all coming in the last inning. Big Kat H. hit a huge two run homerun to cut the lead to one with one out in the 6th. The Road Dawgs were too dominate as they sealed up the final out and advanced to the championship.

The organization is very proud of the way the boys competed this weekend! GO BOLTS!