Flames Finish 7th In 32-Team 
Georgia ASA Bring the Heat 
16-U National Qualifier

ASA Bring The Heat National Qualifier - Elimination Game #6
Missed Opportunities Undo Flames
South Commons Olympic Softball Complex, Columbus GA, --March 4, 2008

Lady Opportunity came knocking early and often for the Flames but the poor dame got treated like a telemarketer calling at dinnertime!   The Flames stranded 11 runners and lost a gut-wrenching 2-1 game against the Georgia Vipers on Sunday morning.  

The Flames put  took a 1-0 lead in the 3rd on a leadoff triple by Brittany Van Frayen and a single by Sam Metzler.   The Vipers took the lead back on a 2-run calamitous 6th and that set the stage for a wild bottom of the 7th.  Scoop Foulke lead off with her fourth single of the morning.   A pop-up to the catcher got the first Flame out.  Van Frayen then clobbered a moon shot down the right field line which had possibilities of being a walk-off game ender but she cruised into 2nd for a double and her and  Foulke settled into 2nd and 3rd base with one out.   Megan Light walked to load the bases and the Flames looked golden with hot-hitting Sam Metzler stepping to the plate.  Metzler lofted a 1-1 pitch to centerfield only to have the catch made and  a dart thrown to home to nail a tagging-up Foulke in a game-ending double play.   Alas, there is no joy in Mudville today!

Foulke pitched the entire game and was easily good enough to get the win but was hampered by an uncharacteristic 5-error showing by the Flames defense.   Other hits by the Flames were singles by Light and Lara Gartner.

ASA Bring The Heat National Qualifier - Elimination Game #5
Flames Nip Bulldogs 4-3 To March On To Sunday
South Commons Olympic Softball Complex, Columbus GA, --March 3, 2008

After their emotional roller coaster win 20 minutes before, the Flames marched onto the Olympic Stadium Field, held their breath for 3 innings and finally exhaled for 4 runs in the bottom of the 4th and held on for a 4-3 win.   The Flames made the most out of their 4 singles by Scoop Foulke, Sam Metzler, Liz Schneider and Allie Davis.  

Megan Light pitched through the six giving up 5 hits and two runs.  Sore armed Andrea Cole gave it a valiant go in the 7th but gave way to Foulke who completed the save.

ASA Bring The Heat National Qualifier - Elimination Game #4
Fate, Foulke Fuel Flames In ITB Thriller
South Commons Olympic Softball Complex, Columbus GA, --March 3, 2008

A little fate and a lotta Scoop Foulke pitching  proved to be the demise of the Lawrenceville Elite in an 8-inning ITB 3-2 Flames win.   Foulke quelled the scrappy, slap-happy Elite bunch with a combination of risers and inside fast balls and kept them off balance all night...almost!   After the Flames scored 2 runs in the top of the 6th on the most unlikely of all plays - a dropped 3rd strike -  to take a 2-0 lead, the Elite returned the favor with a 2-out, 2-strike 2-run homer that struck the left field foul pole to tie things up.  Uh-oh, momentum Elite.  However, the Flames weren't buying in to any of that and shut the Elite down in the bottom of the 7th to send it into the ITB.   Foulke started off on 2nd and advanced to 3rd on well executed SAC bunt by Jennifer Yancey.   Brittany Van Frayen grounded sharply to short to plate Foulke.  Megan Light singled but was stranded there and the Flames ended the inning with a precarious one run lead.  The Elite followed suit with an advancement of their runner on a SAC bunt.   Foulke then cranked up her internal thermostat a few degrees and 8 pitches later recorded her 2nd K of the inning to preserve the win!

Other hits for the Flames was another single by Light and 2 singles by Van Frayen and a single by Liz Schneider.

ASA Bring The Heat National Qualifier - Elimination Game #3
Flames Bounce GA Heat 5-3 
South Commons Olympic Softball Complex, Columbus GA, --March 3, 2008

The Flames pitching duo of Meghan Whipple and Andrea Cole stifled the bats of the Heat and the Flames pounded out 11 hits on their way to a 5-3 win. 

Sam Metzler led the offense with 3 singles and an RBI. Multi-hits were collected by Megan Light with 2 singles  and Brittany Van Frayen with a double and a single.  Adding singles were Erika Hoffner, Lara Gartner, Liz Schneider and Whipple.

ASA Bring The Heat National Qualifier - Elimination Game #2
Comet Controversy Helps Sink Flames 4-3 
South Commons Olympic Softball Complex, Columbus GA, --March 3, 2008

With the Flames cruising along with a 3-1 4th inning lead, an untimely "obstruction" call at home plate allowed the Comets to score and ultimately tie things up in the inning.  Give 'em credit as they strung 3 hits together in the bottom of the 7th to tattoo the Flames with a loss and send them to the dreaded Loser's Bracket. 

The Flames got off to a quick start with singles by Jennifer Yancey and Megan Light and an RBI double to deep left by Sam Metzler to put up a 1st inning deuce.  They kept things going in the 2nd with some 2-out mastery on a single by Erika Hoffner and a long triple by Scoop Foulke.  Unfortunately, that was it for the run production.  Lara Gartner doubled and Foulke added a single to account for rest of the hit production.

Light started and went 3 innings (1 run, 3 hits) and Scoop Foulke finished up(7 hits, 3 runs).

ASA Bring The Heat National Qualifier - Elimination Game #1
Flames Sharp In 8-2 Opener Win
South Commons Olympic Softball Complex, Columbus GA, --March 2, 2008

The Flames showed up in Columbus with the bats blazing as they swatted 9 hits and shut down the West Cobb Xtreme by an 8-2 score.  Extra-base hits were the order of the day with Liz Schneider (2 doubles), Brittany Van Frayen (double and single),  and Allie Davis (triple).    Keeping the offense sizzling were Sam Metzler with 2 singles and 2 RBI's,  and Jennifer Yancey and Lara Gartner with RBI singles.  

Scoop Foulke blanked the Xtreme in her dual role as starter and finisher.  Meghan Whipple had a couple of innings of mound work also.