Understandably, softball teams want to take their “A” game into big tournaments. The Lorain Diamond Dolls obviously did so last weekend in winning the Loudonville Youth Fastpitch Tournament’s 16-and-under championship.

But the Dolls did better than that. They took their “A” team, which of necessity they take wherever they play.

Coach Bob Renney’s team is believed to lead the western hemisphere in players named Alexis, with four on the 12-player roster.

And almost certainly they lead in percentage of players whose names begin with “A” – seven of the 12, which includes an Amber and two Amandas.

But whatever else you call them, call them champions of the 24-team age group who made it back-to-back 16-U Loudonville titles for teams from Lorain County. LaGrange-based Tidal Waves won it in 2009.

The Diamond Dolls went 6-1, defeating the Explosive 5-3 and Tiger Lillies 7-1, and losing to Puma 9-5 in extra innings in pool play. They rolled through their four elimination games, defeating Eclipse 13-2, Mid-Ohio Thunder 4-3, Wadsworth Grizzlies 3-2 and Ohio Ice 7-4 in the championship game.

In the championship game, Amherst’s Amanda Arendt was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs, Alexis Roseboro of Elyria was 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI, Oberlin’s Kayla Jackson 1-for-2 with a double and RBI, and Cierra Best of Elyria Catholic had two singles.

In fact, the Comets’ Arendt went on a weekend tear, with 13 hits in 22 at-bats (.591), four doubles, a triple and the first fence-clearing home run of her career. The Panthers’ Best batted an even .500 (10-20), the Pioneers’ Roseboro .476 (10-21) and the Phoenix’s Jackson .353. As a team, the Diamond Dolls batted .353 for the tournament, going 65-for-184.

Caitlyn Vidovic of North Ridgeville and Lutheran West, and Vermilion’s Amanda Wright shared the pitching duties. They pitched from 43 feet, the college distance, which was adopted by the National Federation of High School Associations last year. By NFHSA mandate, it becomes the regulation high-school distance in Ohio next spring.

Renney said the team also played well defensively. In fact, he said, Elyria’s Alexis Cross got cheers from fans of both teams when she made a running, diving catch to take away a hit.

“It was a great catch,” said Renney. “She laid out for that one.”

As for all those Diamond Dolls named Alexis, they are Torres of Amherst, Roseboro and Cross of Elyria and Renney of Clearview. The Amber is Elyria’s Mahone and the Amandas are Vermilion’s Wright and Amherst’s Arendt.

Among the five players rounding out the roster, three have first names beginning with “C” – Courtney Young of Elyria Catholic, Caitlyn Vidovic and Cierra Best. And don’t forget Kayla Jackson of Oberlin and Vermilion’s Robyn Oates.

Renney, a former fastpich standout, is assisted by Mark Vidovic, Dave Best and business manager Laura Donaldson.

Youth serves itself

Some people told Jen Short she was crazy when she started putting together her first OGSO Farm League team three years ago.

Why? Because the Farm League is for girls 8-and-under and Short was leaning heavily toward 6-year-olds.

“One gentleman told me, ‘You’ll never win a game,’” Short said.

Goes to show you how wrong a person can be.

Short’s undefeated Grafton Pools, Ponds and Courts team (19-0) won the Farm League’s Tom Johnson Memorial Tournament championship last week for the second year in a row. Then it wrapped up its memorable season by also claiming the Lorain County championship Wednesday night in LaGrange.

So much for never winning a game.

In fact, Short’s team – which will move up to OGSO’s Class A division (10-and-under) next year – has never had a losing season. It finished 7-6 in its inaugural 2008 season and improved to 14-3 last year.

That’s a combined 40-9 record for a team some folks thought might never win a game. In running the table this season, the Grafton girls mercy-ruled 18 of 19 opponents. Short said eight of the 11 players on the roster will make the move up to Class A in the spring.

Pools, Ponds and Courts defeated Grafton Scoop for the county championship Wednesday, with every player on the roster stroking two or more hits. Among them, Marcella McMahon and Mackenzie Short hit triples, and Kierstyn Yates and Sadie McCarrick each doubled.

GPPC defeated Keystone GLW Broadband for the tournament championship last week, with four players – Paige Moraco, Taylor Abahazi, Short and McMahon – getting two hits apiece. Abahazi homered, McMahon tripled and Short contributed a double.

The team used two pitchers this year, Short and Morgan Moraco. In an unusual twist, each struck out 41 opponents. Others on the roster are Gabby Yates, Loral Tackett, Olivia Birth and Lauren Mathes. The assistant coaches are Roc Moraco, Kevin Yates and Vince Birth.

Familiar faces

Strongsville-based Explosive has named a coaching-instruction staff for the next year that includes names well known to area softball fans.

Among them are Jeanette Howard, softball coach at Strongsville and founder of the Explosive; CSU coach and former Elyria High star Angie Nicholson; Jen Short, manager of Grafton’s OGSO Farm League champions; CSU and former Elyria star Megan Bashak and her dad, Bill, a longtime travel team coach, and former Brunswick star Emlyn Knerim.

Tryouts for the Explosive’s 2011 travel teams will be held Aug. 8 and Aug. 14 at the Strongsville varsity field behind the high school at 20025 Lunn Road. The schedules:Aug. 8: 10-U and 12-U, 9-10:30 a.m.; 14-U, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; 16-U and 18-U, 1-2:30 p.m.

Aug. 14: 10-U and 12-U, 9-11 a.m.; 14-U, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; 16-U and 18-U, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

For information contact Howard at (440) 915-2069 or JeanetteLHoward@gmail. com.

Contact Bob Daniels at 329-7135 or softball@bobdaniels.info.

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