The Henryetta Heat 14-Under softball team took home third-place honors this past Saturday at the USSSA National Championships in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

The Heat saw their chances for gold come to a close with a 5-0 setback to the Maryville (Tennessee) Wildcats in the loser's bracket finals of the double-elimination tournament.

The Henryetta diamond squad finishes their season, which began last October, with a 55-14-2 record.

The Heat began their participation at the 18-team, double-elimination, tournament by defeating the Indiana Beasts from Fairmont, Indiana, 7-3 in their first Pool Play contest last Monday. The Henryetta squad then battled Maryville to a 1-1 tie in their other Pool Play action last Monday.

In tournament play last Wednesday, the Heat edged past Atlanta Premier from Fayette/Peachtree City, Georgia 6-4 in their opening-round contest.

Last Thursday, the Henryetta squad met the Indy Dreams from New Palestine, Indiana, in the quarterfinals and found themselves on the short end of a 3-1 outcome. The 2-run setback to the eventual tournament champion put the Heat in a 'do or die' situation, where the Henryetta squad needed to win six-straight games in order to have a chance to play for the national championship.

The Heat began their run through the loser's bracket last Friday morning at 9:30 EDT, taking on Intensity South out of Clayton, New Jersey. The Heat dispatched their New Jersey foes by a 5-1 margin to earn a meeting with Bad Intentions out of Ore City, Texas. The Henryetta squad sent the Bad Intentions team home for the summer with a 5-1 victory, inching closer to the championship game.

After eliminating Bad Intentions, the Heat found themselves matched up against High Voltage out of Madisonville, Louisiana in the loser's bracket quarterfinals. The Heat held on to defeat their Louisiana foes by a 6-4 margin to put themselves just two wins away from playing for a national championship.

The next team eliminated by the Heat in their journey through the loser's bracket was the Frederick (Maryland) Heartbreakers. The Heat tallied two runs in their final at-bat, then kept their opponents off the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth to walk away with the 3-1 decision.

In the loser's bracket finals, the Henryetta squad found themselves matched up against the Maryville Wildcats for the second time in the week-long tournament with a spot in the national championship game on the line.

The Heat gave it their all against the Wildcats, but found themselves on the short end of a 5-0 outcome and coming up short in their bid for a national championship.

Maryville defeated Indy Dreams 5-2 in the first championship game, while Indy Dreams took home the championship with a 4-2 victory in the second title game.

During the tournament, the Heat outscored their nine opponents 34-23 - an average of 3.8-2.6 per game.

Below are summaries from each contest the Heat competed in at the USSSA National Championships last week in Florida.

Pool Play #1

Heat 7, Indiana Beasts 3

The Heat broke a scoreless tie with four runs in the top of the second. The Henryetta squad then added two in the third for a 6-0 advantage. The Beasts made it a 6-1 contest with a run in the bottom of the third. The Heat regained their 6-run lead at 7-1 with a run in the top of the fourth, while their opponents were only able to manage two runs in the last of the frame when the time limit expired to award the Henryetta squad the 7-3 victory.

Alexis Hamilton worked the first two innings in the circle for the Heat to earn the pitching win, while Haley Anderson worked the final inning and two-thirds in relief. Hamilton allowed just one hit in her two innings of work, striking out one and hitting two. Anderson gave up three runs on four hits with one strikeout and one walk in her relief appearance.

The Heat scattered seven hits in the contest, led by Lexi Lollis, whose only base hit came on 2-run single in the second inning. Hamilton, Anderson, and Avery Miller each recorded an RBI single in the contest, while Jalynn Joslin drove in a run with an RBI ground-out in the second. Joslin and Skyler Morris each singled in the win, while Courtnee Sensibaugh's lone base hit came on a double in the third.

Other baserunners for the Heat against the Beasts were Hamilton (walk), Miller (error), Katelyn Dwiggins (2 walks), and Kasedi Gobin (error, fielder's choice).

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Pool Play #2

Heat 1, Maryville Wildcats 1

The Heat opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first. Maryville knotted the score at 1-1 with a run in the last of the second. Neither team was able to scratch across any runs in the next three innings to end the Pool Play contest on a 1-1 tie.

The Heat used three pitchers in the 5-inning contest. Avery Miller worked the first three innings, allowing one run on one hit with two strikeouts and one walk. Alexis Hamilton worked a scoreless inning of relief in the fourth, while Haley Anderson worked the fifth in relief for the Henryetta squad.

The top hitter for the Heat against Maryville was Courtnee Sensibaugh, who drove in the only Heat run with an RBI double in the first inning. The other four base hits for Henryetta came on singles by Anderson and Jalynn Joslin and doubles by Hamilton and Kasedi Gobin.

Other baserunners for the Heat in the Pool Play contest were Hamilton (walk), Anderson (fielder's choice), Miller (hit by pitch), Skyler Morris (walk), and Katelyn Dwiggins (error).

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First Round

Heat 6, Atlanta Premier 4

The Heat opened the scoring with four runs in the home half of the first. Atlanta Premier made it a 4-1 contest with a run in the top of the second, then plated three runs in their half of the third to tie the score at 4-4. The Heat tallied the go-ahead runs in the bottom of the third, then kept their opponents off the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. The contest ended on the time limit with the Heat batting in the bottom of the fourth, giving the Henryetta squad the 6-4 decision.

Avery Miller worked all four innings in the circle for the Heat to earn the pitching win. Miller gave up four runs on eight hits, striking out six in the complete-game decision.

The top hitters for the Heat in the first-round contest were Jalynn Joslin (2 for 3, 2 singles), Kasedi Gobin (2 for 3, 2 doubles), and Haley Anderson (2 for 2, 2 singles, 2 RBI) with two hits apiece. The other two base hits for the Henryetta squad in the opening-round victory came on singles by Katelyn Dwiggins and Skyler Morris.

Other baserunners for the Heat were Gobin (fielder's choice), Alexis Hamilton (RBI fielder's choice), and Courtnee Sensibaugh (error, hit by pitch).

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Quarterfinals

Indy Dreams 3, Heat 1

The Heat drew a 1-0 advantage with a run in the bottom of the first. The 1-run lead held until the top of the fourth when the Dreams tallied three runs in the frame to take over the lead at 3-1 after three and one-half innings of action. The Henryetta squad was unable to produce any runs in the fourth and fifth innings to suffer the 3-1 defeat.

Alexis Hamilton was saddled with the pitching loss for the Heat, allowing three runs on five hits with two strikeouts in five innings of work.

The Heat were held to just four base hits in the contest. Lexi Lollis went 2 for 2 with a pair of singles to lead the Henryetta offense. Courtnee Sensibaugh drove in the lone Henryetta run with an RBI single in the first, while Jalynn Joslin recorded the only other hit for the Heat with a leadoff single in the first.

Other baserunners for the Heat in the loss were Hamilton (walk) and Avery Miller (hit by pitch).

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Loser's Bracket Second Round

Heat 5, Intensity South 1

The Heat drew first scoring blood with a run in the top of the first, then added three in the fourth and one in the fifth for a 5-0 advantage. Intensity South broke up the Heat's shutout bid with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Henryetta squad walked off the field with the 5-1 decision in the elimination contest.

Haley Anderson worked all five innings in the circle for the Heat to earn the pitching win. Anderson gave up one run on one hit, struck out two, walked one, and hit three in her complete-game victory.

Kasedi Gobin was the top hitter for the Heat in the win, going 2 for 3 with a single and triple. The other four base hits for the Henryetta squad came on a single by Jalynn Joslin and RBI singles by Anderson, Courtnee Sensibaugh, and Alexis Hamilton.

Other baserunners for the Heat were Joslin, Avery Miller, and Skyler Morris, who each drew a walk in the contest.

Loser's Bracket

Third Round

Heat 5, Bad Intentions 1

The Heat tallied a run in the top of the first for an early 1-0 advantage, then doubled their lead to 2-0 with a run in the top of the third. After two scoreless innings, the Henryetta squad tacked on three runs in their half of the sixth for a 5-0 margin. Bad Intentions plated a run in the last of the sixth, but it was not enough, as the Heat walked away with the 5-1 decision.

Avery Miller went the distance in the circle for the Heat to earn the pitching win. Miller gave up one run on five hits with four strikeouts in the complete-game victory.

Jalynn Joslin led the offensive attack for the Heat, going 4 for 4 with three singles and double. Alexis Hamilton was next offensively for the Henryetta squad with a 3-for-3 performance. All three of Hamilton's hits came on singles, including an RBI single in the sixth.

The other base hits for the Heat in the win came on singles by Miller and Lexi Lollis and an RBI double by Katelyn Dwiggins. Lollis drove in one of the three runs in the sixth with an RBI sacrifice bunt, while Kasedi Gobin gave the Heat the early 1-0 advantage with an RBI sacrifice fly in the first.

Other baserunners for the Heat against Bad Intentions were Dwiggins (walk), Courtnee Sensibaugh (walk), Skyler Morris (error), Haley Anderson (fielder's choice).

Loser's Bracket

Quarterfinals

Heat 6, High Voltage 4

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when the Heat broke the 0-0 tie with three runs in the frame. High Voltage went in front 4-3 with four runs in the top of the fifth. The Heat regained the lead at 6-4 with three runs in the home half of the fifth, then held their opponents scoreless in the top of the sixth to walk away with the 6-4 victory.

Alexis Hamilton went the distance in the circle for the Heat to earn the pitching win. Hamilton allowed four runs on five hits with four strikeouts in the complete-game victory.

Offensively, the Heat finished with 11 hits in the elimination game. The trio of Hamilton (2 for 3, single, double, 2 RBI), Jalynn Joslin (2 for 3, 2 singles), and Avery Miller (2 for 3, single, double) led the way with two hits apiece. The other five base hits for the Heat came on singles by Katelyn Dwiggins, Kasedi Gobin, Haley Anderson, and Lexi Lollis and a 2-run double by Skyler Morris. Morris' 2-run extra-base hit came in the 3-run fourth.

Lollis was the only other baserunner for the Heat in the contest, drawing a walk in the second.

Loser's Bracket Semifinals

Heat 3, Frederick Heartbreakers 1

The Heat trailed 1-0 after two innings as the Heartbreakers opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the second. The Henryetta squad knotted the score at 1-1 with a run in the top of the third, then took a 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth by plating a pair of runs. The Heat kept their opponents off the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth to walk away with the 3-1 victory.

Haley Anderson worked all six innings in the circle for the Heat to earn the pitching decision. Anderson allowed just one run on three hits with three strikeouts in the complete-game victory.

Anderson was also the top hitter offensively for the Henryetta squad, going 2 for 3 with a single, double, and RBI. The other base hits for the Heat in the elimination game came on a single by Jalynn Joslin, an RBI single by Lexi Lollis, and doubles by Alexis Hamilton and Skyler Morris.

Other baserunners for the Heat against the Heartbreakers were Katelyn Dwiggins (walk, RBI fielder's choice), Avery Miller (fielder's choice), Kasedi Gobin (fielder's choice), and Courtnee Sensibaugh (error).

Loser's Bracket Finals

Maryville Wildcats 5, Heat 0

Maryville did all of its scoring in the top of the first. The Heat were unable to get their offense going in the contest, being limited to just three hits in the 6-inning contest to suffer the season-ending 5-0 defeat.

Avery Miller was saddled with the pitching loss for the Heat, allowing five runs on three hits with two hit batters in just one-third of an inning of work. Alexis Hamilton struck out five, walked one, and allowed three hits in five and two-third scoreless innings of relief.

The three base hits for the Heat in the loss came on singles by Miller and Hamilton and a double by Katelyn Dwiggins.

Jalynn Joslin had her tournament hit streak end in the loss, but did reach base on an error in the first.

The only other baserunners for the Heat in the loss were Skyler Morris (error) and Kasedi Gobin (fielder's choice).

The Heat had runners reach base in five of the six innings, but were unable to produce any runs in the contest to suffer their fourth shutout defeat of the season.