Fusion Black Goes 2-1 at Mizuno Quakes Classic

South Dakota Fusion Black spilt a weekend doubleheader with Mother Nature April 25-26 at the NAFA Mizuno Quakes Classic in Omaha NE, getting in their three pool play game Saturday before seeing Sundays single elimination games get rained out.

The ladies in black started the day with a 13-0 win over the Omaha Extreme Crush. Fusion scored four runs in the first, one in the second, and then six straight singles from Laura Hurley, Emily Nichols, Lizzie Palmer, Maggie Loudenslager, Taryn Hogarth and Ceci Heiberger led to eight more runs in the third. Nichols threw a no hitter.

Game two was a 10-9 slug fest with Fusion Black coming up one run short to the Omaha Suburban Pride Black. The game was highlighted by Allie Daly and Kersten Bork each hitting inside the park home runs and Hannah Duerksen's second triple of the day. Laura Hurley struck out two and Lizzie Palmer struck out one in an inning of relief.

The final game of the day put Fusion Black up against the Nebraska Storm Black. It took a little more time to get going, but by the third inning Fusion's bats took over as the girls put four runs on the Storm. Hogarth started things off with a single, followed by a Heiberger walk. Then three singles in a row from Rachel Ormseth, Hannah Duerksen and Bork open things up to give Black a 4-0 lead. Fusion added one more in the fifth inning when Ormseth hit a two out double and eventually scored on a past ball to push the final score to 5-0.

Fusion was ready to debut their "new look" black uniforms Sunday in an 8am elimination game against the host Omaha Quakes Red, but heavy rains moved in during pre-game warm ups, and Sunday's games were cancelled shortly thereafter.

Fusion Black will play a double header Tuesday night May 5th in Brandon before playing the USSSA River City Classic in Mason City, IA, May 9-10.