Sluggers among final four at 12-and-under state softball tournament

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press

DENISON – The Copperas Cove Sluggers are among four teams left vying for the Texas Teenage 12-and-under softball state title.
After opening up the tournament with a pair of dominant wins over the Hico Havoc and Denison We Got The Runs on Monday, the Sluggers suffered their first setback of the year with a close loss to the other hometown team, Denison Daddy Ball, in a late Tuesday contest. 
The Sluggers returned to the win column with a solid victory over the Alto Lady Jackets on Wednesday morning before downing the Groesbeck Chiglo team 4-3 in a Wednesday night showdown to reach the final six.
The Sluggers will have needed to reel off three-consecutive wins yesterday to make it to today’s championship game. 
The Sluggers opened up Thursday’s action against the Crocket Fireballs, who were knocked to the losers’ bracket by a familiar foe of the Sluggers – the Rogers Hot Shots. Cove defeated the Hot Shots at the district tournament to earn their spot at state.
The Sluggers dispatched the Fireballs to set up a losers’ bracket semifinal matchup with the Bosqueville Heartbreakers needing just two more wins for a spot in today’s championship game (results not available at press time).
The Teague Stacks faced the Hot Shots in the winners’ bracket for a spot in the finals.
The Copperas Cove Parks and Recreation Department is hosting the 8-and-under Machine Pitch State Tournament beginning Monday at Copperas Cove City Park.
The Copperas Cove Astros and Royals will host the Grand Saline Cubs, Chandler Horned Frogs, Groesbeck Ellison, Buffalo Kennedy, Gatesville Rangers and Troy Outlaws. First pitches are set for 6 p.m. on City Park fields 1 and 2.