This gave an opportunity for several Xtreme Edge players to show the team’s depth. Against the same team we had faced in scrimmage the day before, Edge went up by 4 runs in the 1st inning with hits by Ashley Smith, Julie Harmon (who stole third base and scored on a throwing error), Kristie King (double), RBIs attributed to Harmon and Elizabeth Ferrell (2RBIs) reaching on an error (but Ferrell’s speed creates these errors for many defenses). In the 3rd inning, Baillie Lott, Kristie King and Sammie Simon produced hits, with RBIs to King and Simon, to give the Edge a 6-0 lead. Lott and Julie Tower pitched well for Edge, allowing just 2 hits, to help the team overcome some fielding errors and hold the Fusion to no runs. Edge added 6 more runs in the 4 th inning with hits by Tiffany Smith, Harmon, Pinnell and Simon (RBIs for Harmon, Pinnell (2) and Simon (2).

Final: Xtreme Edge 12, Pennsylvania Fusion 0.

Xtreme Edge got great play from many players, but we have to highlight Alexis Pinnell at first base, who had two diving grabs to end both the 1 st and 2 nd innings and blasted a home run to left field in the last inning of this game. Julie Harmon kept pitching the corners against a rather narrow, but fairly consistent strike zone, not allowing a hit by the Comets until the last inning. Edge got a 2-run lead in the 4 th inning that started when Baillie Lott lined a single and Julie Harmon reached on an error from a hard hit that tipped off the pitcher’s glove. Elizabeth Ferrell put down the sacrifice bunt to push runners to 2 nd and 3 rd and Sammy Simon blistered a ball to the fence in centerfield for 2 RBIs, scoring both Lott and Harmon. As often happens, the star of the top of an inning returns to star in the bottom as Simon grabbed a hot Comet liner to third base and doubled a Comet runner off at first base. Edge went up by 4 runs in the top of the 7 th inning with Pinnell’s homer and a nice single by Amanda Jordan, who eventually scored on a fly ball to centerfield by Lott. The Comets got three singles in the bottom of the 7 th inning to score 1 run.

Final: Xtreme Edge 4, California Comets 1.

This game was decided in a pivotal 2 nd inning with their version of “ Ernie Ball.” The Angels led off the 2 nd with a double and were able to push a run across on an Edge error. The Angel top of the inning ended with a great fire from catcher Amanda Jordan down to Sammy Simon at third base picking off an Angel runner. Down by one, Edge came back with a flurry of great play calls, bunts, and heady base running. After a lead-off walk by Simon followed by a puch bunt by Julie Tower that put runners at first and third base, Ernie Ball got into full swing. Alexis Pinnell put down the perfect squeeze bunt, scoring Simon and sending Tower around to third base. Pinnell then played cat and mouse with the second baseman as Tower jockied back forth between third base and home. As Tower sped home, Angel second baseman didn’t react quickly enough to get Tower at home. Then, as Pinnell strided for second base, the Angel catcher misfired to second base. The ball rolled deep into centerfield allowing Pinnell to complete rounding the bases. Edge gained a four-run advantage over a well-coached Angel team. Baillie Lott provided strong 2-hit and no-walk pitching for Edge to allow hold the Angels to just two runs.

Final: Xtreme Edge 4, Bloomington/Normal Angels 2.

Edge had an opportunitiy to score in the 2 nd inning when Julie Harmon and Sammy Simon singled giving Edge runners at the corners with 1 out. Simon was then out on a good throw down to second base by the Breeze catcher. Edge failed to score in the 2 nd inning. Baillie Lott hit a home run in the 4 th inning to give Edge a brief lead, with Breeze scoring one run on a fielding error in the bottom of the inning. Breeze scored 3 runs in the 5 th inning after Edge pitcher Julie Harmon got the first two batters out. Breeze batters then had 4 consecutive hits including a 2-run homer. Edge showed no quit in the bottom of the 7 th inning, putting on a rally with 2 outs to load the bases as Sammy Simon, Kristie King, and Alexis Pinnell all reached base safely before Breeze got the third out on a hard hit fielder’s choice by Ashley Smith.

Final: Xtreme Edge 1, California Breeze 4.

Edge bounced back with a good win over a speedy Blazer team with several slappers. The highlight of the game was great hitting by Baillie Lott who knocked two home runs off the Blazer pitcher. Other contributors at the plate included Ashley Smith (1 double, 2 singles and an RBI), Julie Harmon (3 singles, reached safely in all 4 plate appearances), Brittany Aiello (a single and 2 RBIs), Sammy Simon (2 singles), Julie Tower (a single and RBI), and Alexis Pinnell (a single and a sac fly RBI). Pitcher Julie Harmon held the Blazers to 2 hits in the win. In general, Edge hit well and played good defense in this game.

Final: Xtreme Edge 8; Brampton, Ontario Blazers 1.

Edge took control early in the game scoring 4 runs in the 1 st inning. Ashley Smith and Julie Tower reached base and were driven in on a strong single by Sammy Simon. Kristie King walked and Elizabeth Ferrell hit a double to score Simon and King. Baillie Lott allowed just one hit by the Sluggers. Edge scored again in the 3 rd inning on a Slugger error playing a bunt by Sammy Simon allowing Baillie Lott to score. Lott waqs on base after a double to lead off the inning. Edge added 1 more run in the 5 th inning.

Final: Xtreme Edge 6, St. Louis Sluggers 0.

Edge pitched Julie Harmon and later Baillie Lott who combined to allow Heat just 3 hits. Edge scored its only run in the 2 nd inning when Julie Tower and Alexis Pinnell singled. Ashley Smith then drove in Tower on a single. This was a pitcher’s duel, with Edge Coach Reynolds making a strategic pitching switch at the just right moment in the 5 th inning, when Lott came in to “turn down the Heat” for good.

Final: Xtreme Edge 1, Ohio “Buckeye” Heat 0.

Xtreme Edge vs Eagles from Tulsa, Oklahoma – 07/02/2005

The final game of the Colorado Fireworks for Edge was another pitching duel with Baillie Lott taking the mound in the latter innings after Julie Harmon pitched the first three innings for Edge; pitchers combined for to allow only three hits. Edge defense was on for the game, with a fabulous double play in the bottom of the 2 nd inning, getting runners out on a throw to home by Julie Tower from second base and a follow-up throw from home to third base to nab both Eagle runners with tag outs. Edge got a chance to score in the 4 th inning when Julie Harmon beat out a bunt and Sammy Simon singled; Edge was at the corners with one out. Edge couldn’t get a ball down and left the two runners on. Standout hitting for the Edge was Sammy Simon, who had two singles and was on base in all three plate appearances. The Eagles scored their only run in the 6 th inning, when Eagles followed a walk with a single and a double that scored the one run. But Edge defense played well as Ashley Smith retrieved the long Eagle double that could easily have scored two runs if the ball were not retrieved so quickly. In the end Edge lost a close one to end the tournament.

Final: Xtreme Edge 0, Oklahoma Eagles 1.