Youth Sports - Softball: Baseliners Capture Virginia ASA State 14U Title

Pictured are: Front Row – Taylor Chason

Second Row – Paige Barger, Jade Fleming, Mia Lacey, Emma Thornberg, Madison Small, Katie Salvatore

Third Row – Lizzie Anderson, Lexi Hunter, Ashley Flesch, Jamie Anderson, Haylea Geer

Not Pictured - Taylor (TJ) Jones

(June 15, 2011) - The Sterling-based Baseliners ’96 travel softball team captured the Virginia ASA State 14U title this weekend.


After emerging from the pool play portion on Saturday as a No. 2 seed, with their only loss coming at the hands of the Virginia Beach area’s Virginia Legends, the Baseliners were determined to avenge that defeat.

The opportunity came again as the two teams met in the final game of the winners bracket of the double elimination tournament. Once again the VA Legends were victorious with a hard fought 6-2 win, sending the Baseliners to the bottom portion of the bracket.

After a Baseliner 7-4 victory over the Vienna Stars ’97 team in the semifinals the showdown was on again, with the Baseliners needing to beat the VA Legends twice to secure the title.

In the first Championship game the Baseliners and Legends faced a pitcher’s and defensive duel, with Mia Lacey toeing the rubber for the Baseliners. An RBI single in the 5th by Katie Salvatore and an insurance RBI fielder’s choice hit by Taylor Chason were enough to get by the Legends with a 2-0 victory and force a second Championship Game. Jade Fleming and Lizzie Anderson provided clutch hitting for the Baseliners, while the defense was nearly flawless, capped by a spectacular outfield catch by Emma Thornberg.

In the Final game of the night, the Baseliners picked up where they left off, exploding for three runs in the 2nd inning, led by a 2-RBI double by catcher Haylea Geer.

They added two more runs in the fourth and a run in the seventh to win 6-4. The great pitching of Ashley Flesch kept the Legends hitters off balance most of the game and Lacey finished the game in relief.

Solid defense, a gritty performance by Fleming, along with solid hitting from Madison Small (3 for 4, RBI), Thornberg (2 for 3, RBI) Geer (2 for 3, 2 RBI) and Salvatore (2 Runs scored) secured the title.

It was a total team victory as the Baseliners played through injuries, sickness, heat, lightning delays and 14 hours at the softball field on Sunday to come away with the title. The Baseliners ’96 finished the weekend with a 6-2 record.

The Baseliner ’96 team is comprised of girls from 3 Loudoun high schools (Broad Run, Dominion and Stone Bridge) plus several other northern Virginia schools.