Heat ends season with runner-up finish in Missouri

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The Hays Heat 12 & Under fast-pitch softball team closed out their season with a runner-up finish in the Blue Division of the ASA Heartland VIP World Series held at Hidden Valley Sports Complex in Independence, Mo., on July 24 through 27.

Heat073114 — Front row, from left: Hannah Black, Kaitlyn Brown and Kallynn Petz. Back row, from left, Julia Werth, Emily Schulte, Macee Altman, Tasiah Nunnery, Jaysa Wichers, Madelyn Waddell, Lexi Gottschalk and Brooklyn Staab. Not pictured are coaches Joshua Waddell, Ryan Gottschalk, Randy Gottschalk and Les Brown. *Courtesy photo by Tina Waddell*

The Heat finished pool play with a 4-0 record and outscored their opponents by a 22-0 margin, including a win over the eventual champion NW Pride (Maryville, Mo.). Their pool play performance advanced the Heat to bracket play as the tournament’s overall top seed.

After advancing to the final of the winner’s bracket, the NW Pride snapped the Heat’s 16-game winning streak and pushed them to the consolation bracket semi-final, where the Heat defeated the Overland Park Ignite to earn a spot in the tournament finale.

A second win of the weekend over the NW Pride forced the pivotal “if necessary” game to decide the tournament championship, where the Heat fell just short of the championship.

A 7-win, 2-loss performance at the World Series capped a fantastic season, as the Heat recorded a 28-5 record on the year and scored tournament championships at the Kansas ASA Class C State Tournament in Emporia and at Dodge City’s 5 State Border Showdown Series.