It was a tough tournament for UC teams including my beloved Devils. Any tournament is tough to win and takes a few bounces to go your way and Springville and SF just didn't get them. I think Sarah Clark really gave it her all and while she seemed a bit banged up she did very well. She deserved the cover of the magazine. It was unfortunate that Springville seemed a bit out of sorts with the weather, the lights and the daunting _base_running of Murray. They really put pressure on you to counter their _base_ running prowess. I'm thinking pitch out a couple of times a game is a good idea for future reference especially when the SS moves left suggesting to Murray an inside pitch. Just a thought for the future.
I noted that Dixie had a "scout" at the Springville/Murray game and it seemed to pay off for them. They really knew how to maximize their pitcher. I'd say if Springville plays either of those teams 3 times, they win two out of three, but on those nights when it counted, they just were off.
As for Spanish, I think if they win that game against Bingham then they go a lot farther. But like Springville, they just seemed to fall apart for one inning defensively and they just couldn't quite get the hit they needed and it was over. It is a tough game and only one team in each division walks away happy (except for maybe American Fork).
As a fan of THE game, I have to say that, while I didn't get to see enough games as I would like, I'm thankful for those games I did see, the coaches that make the sacrifice to work with the young ladies and the p_layer_s that get to enjoy an experience that will help them, win or lose, for the rest of their lives. I think the sport is doing well and I look forward to 2009 and to a great summer. Go Crush (and the Triple A)!
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