South Dakota Fusion Black Qualifies for USSSA World Series

A weekend of rock solid defense pushed the South Dakota Fusion Black to a 5-1 record as they came up one run short at the end of the championship game of the 18u Open division in the 5th Annual River City Classic May 9-10 in Mason City IA. With their second place finish, Fusion Black is again qualified for the USSSA World Series.

Saturday started with an 11-3 win over the Titonka IA Tigers. Emily Nichols struck out nine Tiger batters in the win.

In their second game of the day Fusion Black won 9-4 over the New Hampton Chickisaws. The game was highlighted by an Allie Daly solo home run over the left field fence and a Taryn Hogarth ground rule double that hopped the right field fence. Laura Hurley was in the circle for Fusion and pitched them to the win.

The final match up of the day for the ladies in black was the Minnesota Rebels. Fusion squeaked out a 3-2 win behind the solid pitching of Lizzie Palmer, who only gave up four hits over six innings and struck out two.

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Sunday would prove to be a day long battle for the Black. First up was a rematch with the Titonka Tigers. More solid hitting gave Fusion Black a 4-0 win.

The second game of the day against the North Iowa Invasion was tied at zero for most of the game, but then in the fourth inning, Fusion Black pushed in 2 runs and Emily Nichols, supported by another sparkling Fusion Black defensive effort, threw her second shutout of the day and struck out eight in a 2-0 win, moving the Black to the championship game.

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In the final game of the weekend, Fusion Black went up 1-0 in the top half of the second inning against the Waverly Shell Rock Go Hawks when Lizzie Palmer singled and stole second and then was hit home by Laura Hurley. The Go Hawks tied the game on a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning and then pushed across one more run in the fourth inning to go up 2-1. In the top half of the seventh, Fusion Black had a chance to tie the game when Ceci Heiberger raced her way to first base off of a slap hit and the normally hard hitting Kersten Bork laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Heiberger to second base. Fusion couldn't get Heiberger home and the game ended 2-1.

South Dakota Fusion Black would like to congratulate the Go Hawks on their championship and will return to action May 16-17 in Omaha NE at the Suburban Pride Classic.