Copperas Cove Fury finishes season at 12U state tournament

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press

Clifton – The Copperas Cove Fury competed in the 18-team 12-and-under Texas Teen-Age Baseball and Softball Association state softball tournament in Clifton this week.
After rains washed away day one of the tournament, the last representative for Copperas Cove lost their opening contest against the Alba-Golden Heat in a Tuesday night clash.
The Fury then began their attempt to battle back with a contest against the Dawson Lady Bulldogs in a Wednesday night showdown.
Despite a valiant effort, the Fury was ousted from the tournament in an 11-6 contest.
“It was a privilege coaching these young women,” said Fury head coach James Harper.  “They fought hard and represented Cove to the highest degree.”
The Fury found themselves locked in a 2-2 tie through two innings of action before a groundout RBI by Dawson’s Erin Barnett and a Cove error allowed another Dawson run to score for a 4-2 Dawson lead heading into the top of the third inning.
The Fury quickly struck back to regain the lead. 
Singles by Haylee Jennings and Julia Guerra, along with a walk by Hadley Howard, got things started for Cove before Jennings stole home to pull within one run and a three-run home run by Evelyn Stack put the Fury in control 6-4.
The Lady Bulldogs took back the lead for good in the bottom half of the inning with a four-run outing.
A single by Kaylee Payne barely got through the Cove defense to put a runner on before consecutive RBI singles by Breelyn Dyer and Hanah Horn knotted the game at 6-all. 
A two-out single by Ireland Sutton then put Horn in scoring position where Tatum Davis took advantage with a RBI single. Barnett then capped the scoring with an RBI single for the 8-6 Dawson lead. 
Singles by Taryn Stevenson and Guerra and a walk by Howard loaded the bases for the Fur in the top of the fourth inning but a groundout to the mound ended Cove’s chances. 
The Lady Bulldogs added another run in the bottom half of the inning when Payne was knocked home by Dyer after getting hit by a pitch to reach and stealing her way to third base. 
The Fury again threatened in the top of the fifth inning with three consecutive walks to lead off the inning.
One runner was caught stealing for the first out before a strikeout and groundout ended the Fury’s threat. 
The Lady Bulldogs added two more runs to close out the contest 11-6 and move on to the next round, which was postponed to Thursday due to sever weather. 
The Crockett Fireballs, Academy Lady Sting, Alba-Golden Heat, Rogers Hot Shots, Riesel Warriors and Gatesville Hydro-Dillo Graphics were still sitting pretty in the winner’s bracket heading into Thursday’s games while the Valley Mills Busch, Mart Oliver, Troup Shockwave, Crocket Outlaws and Stephenville Lady Giants join the Dawson Lady Bulldogs in the battle back to the finals.
The Fury finishes the season as 12U Copperas Cove City Champions and the Texas Teen-Age Baseball and Softball Association District 7 runners up.
The Fury players are: Jayla Riley, Tristyn Garcia, Zya Derrick, Julia Guerra, Ryhanna Levya, Ailyn Harper, Kyleigh Jenkins Mata, Evelyn Stack, Trinity Garcia, Haylee Jennings, Selena Leyva, Yese Souders, Liberty Stein, Taryn Stevenson and Hadley Howard.