Wellington Sparks win the USSA Summer Slam Tournament in Derby
The Wellington Sparks girls softball team. (Click to enlarge). (Photo courtesy of Valerie Earl)
by Pam Strader, Sumner Newscow — The Wellington Sparks, a girl’s fast-pitch softball team registered through the Wellington Recreation Center, recently won the USSA Summer Slam Tournament held in Derby.
The team features girls from Wellington, Caldwell, Conway Springs, and Argonia. The Wellington Sparks started playing together five years ago. The team is coached by Matthew Metcalf and assistant coach Nate Gregory.
Tournament championship bracket. (Click to enlarge.)
The Sparks would defeat the Tulsa Elite 7-3 in the tournament championship held on June 26.
In the first game, the Sparks tied with the Kansas Patriots 2-2. This team beat the Sparks in Hutchinson earlier this summer. They then won the next inning the next two games led to bracket play. Once there, the girls defeated the G2 Heat, 1-0. The lone run came on a Presley Metcalf steal of home.
The girls played games with two different Tulsa Elite teams in the semifinals and finals. In the semifinal, one of the big plays was a 6-4-3 double play, Tori Morrison to Addy Schnelle to Presley Metcalf which helped win that game 6-3.
In the championship game, catcher Ella Risley made the big play by throwing out a baserunner caught stealing at second base.
Members of the team are pictured above: (front, left) Presley Metcalf (Wellington) Taylor Earl (Wellington) Addy Schnelle (Wellington) Tori Morrison (Argonia); (back, left) Nate Gregory (Wellington) Kennedy Lowery (Caldwell) Kirsten Gregory (Wellington) Macie Hartman (Conway) Joslyn Bartleson (Conway) Ella Risley (Caldwell) Matt Metcalf (Wellington) Not pictured are Elle Wright (Wellington) and Emma Carter (Caldwell/Pond Creek, OK).
Throughout the season Callie Bartleson (Wellington/Conway Springs) and Amanda Eckerman (Caldwell) assisted with coaching. Cary Morrison (Argonia) ran Gamechanger, which kept the team’s stats, and Casie Risley (Caldwell) kept the books for the team. Shelby Metcalf was instrumental in the organization of the team.
