The Firecrackers, based in Huntington Beach, Calif., beat neighboring rival the SoCal Jynx 8-0 and 4-1 at Frost Stadium in Sunday’s final in the Amateur Softball Association 10-under national tournament.
The Firecrackers also had to win the losers-bracket final Sunday morning before taking on their previously unbeaten neighbors from West Covina.
“I’m just proud of my girls for the way they fought back,” Firecrackers manager Shawn Quarles said. “The Jynx has been our toughest competition all year. This was a testament to our girls’ tenacity.”
Taylor Dockins was not only the winning pitcher in the championship game, the team’s 9-1 record in the tournament is the same as her pitching record. Quarles also praised the work by her batterymate Bobbi Aguirre, who caught every game.
“We had a lights-out pitcher,” Quarles said. “She’s kind of a workhorse, and we rode her the whole way. I think she’s one of the best 10-and-under pitchers in the country.”
Raquel Jaime sparked the Firecrackers in the final game by going 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Dazey Vaifunai singled, walked and scored twice.
Alyssa Kumiyama provided a highlight in the first game of the final when she narrowly missed hitting a home run with her RBI single high off the left-center-field fence. She had another run-scoring single earlier and also drew a bases-loaded walk.
The highest-finishing Tennessee team was the third-place Knoxville White Lightning, who was the team that gave the Firecrackers their lones loss in the tournament.