06/07/2026
Despite some weather, schedule changes and rule changes, our 16u Cardinal FastPitch team (sponsored by Coops Red Caboose and Chaffee Chick Design) managed to reach the semi-finals of the Gold Bracket by going 3-2 for the Niagara tournament and only losing to the Hamburg Dawgs A squad twice. As mentioned earlier the tournament began with a 14-0 win over the Cayuga Cascades on Friday night followed by a split of two Hamburg games on Saturday for a 2-1 pool play record and a 6 seed in the GOLD bracket.
First it was the Hamburg Dawgs (Matychak) team, where the team collected eight hits and cashed in on almost every opportunity winning 8-7 in a nail biter. Leah Johnson led the way with two hits, two RBI and a run scored, while Grace Cornell, Hannah Bauder, Peyton Comstock, Mya Raley, KS and Tessa Dominesey all added singles and a run scored, Cornell scored twice. Kailyn Riggerman scored a run and Mackenzie Leigh Johnson drove in one as every player was needed to eeek out the win. Grace Cornell and Tessa Dominesey combined for 4 k's in the circle, but it was the defense that shined to preserve the win especially in the final inning when a set play was called and Peyton threw to MJ at second base, who fired it back to Peyton to get the potentially game tying runner out at the plate. Previous to that, we had multiple plays made by KS, Grace and Mya in the infield and Amileah, MJ and Leah in the outfield.
In the second game of the night, the Cardinals had to play another Hamburg Dawgs team (poor scheduling) in the Davis A team and came up short 6-1 despite a great effort from Grace Cornell in relief of Tessa in the circle, not of which recorded a strikeout. This time it was Kailyn, Leah and KS providing great defense in the outfield to keep the game within reach and Tessa and Hannah on the infield but it wasn't enough to hold the high powered offense of the Dawgs. Offensively, only Tessa and Leah could generate hits and only Leah could cross the plate off a beautiful bunt by Hannah Bauder for an early 1-0 lead. Grace, Peyton and Amileah also reached base via walks but were unable to score.
All of this equalled another game vs the Hamburg Dawgs but this time vs the McLimans team early Sunday morning in the first GOLD bracket game. The Cardinals wasted no time in jumping out on the #3 seed 7-0 as Grace, Leah, Hannah, Mya, KS, Mackenzie-Leigh and Kailyn all scored. Hamburg clawed back to 7-5 after three complete innings, but starter Tessa Dominesey recorded her 8th strikeout to end further damage. In the fourth, Leah, Mya, KS and Peyton all scored to expand the lead to 11-5. In the inning the bats really came alive as Grace, Leah, Mya, KS, Peyton and MJ all singled in the inning while Hannah and Kailyn collected RBI's. The Dawgs again answered with two runs off reliever Grace Cornell to cut the lead to 11-7, but again KS made a great catch at second base and Grace recorded two strikeouts to shut things down on the Dawgs.
In the fifth inning, the lead was extended further as Leah, KS, Peyton and MJ all scored to go up 15-7. Hannah, Peyton, MJ and Amileah all collected RBI's in the inning and with 8-run rule back in effect for Sunday all we had to do was get three outs to advance to the semifinals and Mya Raley made sure that happened as she made two spectacular plays at third base and Tessa made a great catch in center field to end the game.
The win created a return match up against none other than the Hamburg Dawgs A team "Davis". This has never happened where the Cardinals played four games (3 Hamburg teams) from one organization in the same tournament before and in order to play someone different they would have to beat the team that beat them Saturday night. Early on things did not look good as four errors in the first inning led to an early 5-0 deficit. The Dawgs increased the lead to 7-0 after two innings despite some great defense by Tessa in the circle and Grace Cornell and Peyton Comstock at shortstop and second base respectively. The Cardinals got on the board in third as Tessa and Amileah reached base via walks and we're driven in by Leah Johnsons single to center field.
The score remained that way as Tessa settled in until the fourth when the Dawgs made it 9-2 as reliever Grace Cornell entered the circle to shut things down. In fifth is where Amileah (single), Grace, Leah, Hannah and Mya all came around the score, making the score 9-7. Mya had the big hit with a 2-run double as well as Hannah's rbi single. KS and Peyton recorded RBIs in the inning as time was now becoming a factor. Having said that, Grace went back out and again Mya made a great play at third base and Tessa had two at shortstop as the Cardinals had one last chance to upset the #1 seed. Tessa led the inning off with a double, Amileah walked and Grace grounded out scoring Tessa as the score was now 9-8 but that's how things ended as the Dawgs were victorious. It marked the second loss to Davis who eventually won the tournament, but boy did our girls battle. Not just today, but throughout and always displaying great sportsmanship no matter what, never screaming in between pitches, never rattling the fences and always high fiving after both the wins and the losses. All of that while leaving it all on the field is what makes coaching this young bunch so much fun. Great tournament ladies, be proud of this weekends accomplishments. Go-FastPitch-Go!!
