Last month the NYO 10U Road Runners girls’ softball team placed third in the Kenworth Park “Bring it on” fast-pitch tournament.

This was the third installment of the annual tournament, and it was the best showing for the Road Runners thus far.

“These girls practice for two hours a day, four days a week and have been doing that since May,” head coach Scott Sizemore said. “They get out there and they really work hard.”

The team is comprised of all-stars selected by league coaches who then play five tournaments between May and June.

In the “Bring it on” tournament, the Road Runners opened with two dominant wins over North Cherokee and Mt. Tabor Hot Shots, 15-2 and 17-1, respectively.

The offensive numbers they put up were “amazing” coach Sizemore said.

“We had 36 hits over four games, and Stephanie Kurzweg and Carson Lindauer each had 15 steals.”

While Kurzweg and Lindauer dominated once on base, the best hitter during the tournament was Reilly McClain. She totaled six hits over the four games, leading the way for the Road Runners.

The offensive numbers did not end with McClain either. Grace Sizemore led the team with seven runs scored over the four games.

The offense was not the only area of success for the Road Runners. Right center fielder Devyn Edelstein made “some excellent plays,” according to Scott Sizemore, and first baseman Grace Sizemore recorded an un-assisted double play “just on playing head’s up ball.”

After winning the first two games, the Road Runners were seeded second, setting up a rematch with the North Cherokee team.

Sadly for the Road Runners, a repeat of the first encounter was not meant to be. North Cherokee held the NYO batters in check and went on to win 6-4.
While the loss took a little luster away from an otherwise solid tournament, Sizemore said.

“I told [our team] that we were very proud of them and the progress that they have made all summer was great,” he said. “I came to my team in the summer and told them that we needed a team mission, and improvement was one of the first things that they said, so it’s good to see that happen.”