Valley Extreme ousted by Dixie Chicks, Holte

By Mark W. Miller

Liz Holte pitched a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts in the PONY National tourney.

LIBERTY — Liz Holte pitched a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts as the Dixie Chicks of Richmond, Va., eliminated the Cortland Valley Extreme Red, 7-1, in the PONY 16-and-under National girls fastpitch softball tournament Thursday at Liberty Park.

“We lost to them [Extreme Red] 4-1 in the National championship game last year, so we owed them,” said Dixie Chicks coach Allan Spencer.

The Chicks won two more games Thursday — they beat S.E. MA Xtreme 2-1 in the second round, then beat Pittsburgh Spirit Gold 3-2 in the semifinals — before falling to C.T. Eliminators Red (Conn.) 3-2 in the national championship game.

The Chicks struck first against Valley Extreme, scoring two runs in the second inning on a single by Ashley Currin and a home run by Toni Taylor.

“That two-run home run set the tone,” said Spencer. “They are a good team, but they played a good team.”

Five of the Extreme Red players played on that 2007 title team including Warren JFK pitcher Morgan Piacquadio, the coach’s (Sam Piacquadio) daughter; catcher Alexis Sidle of Lakeview, third baseman Amanda Delaquila of Howland, Cardinal Mooney first baseman Christina Hrehor and second baseman Kourtney Martin of Ashtabula Edgewood.

Extreme Red, behind 4-1, scored its only run in the second inning. Shannon Baczek hit a triple and Shyanne Mortimer singled her home.

Extreme Red has five 15-year-olds and one 14-year-old, so the finish was encouraging, Coach Piacquadio said.

“I am proud of what they did to get this far,” he said. “To get into the Sweet 16, just three games away from the national title, that’s not too shabby.

“Today we just faced a better team. We were a little flat and that’s not a good combination.”

It was the third straight year that Extreme Red (5-3) had made the 16U national tournament.

Holte, whose pitches are 63-64 miles per hour, struck out the side in the first inning and had at least one in every inning but the fourth.

“She threw pretty gold and are players backed her up and made all the plays and didn’t make an error,” said Spencer.

The Dixie Chicks put the game out of reach when they scored three runs in the fourth. Suzanne Spencer, the coach’s daughter, singled. Alexa Tuck hit a double, while Heather Kirby, Savannah Phillingane and Susan Ballentine all hit singles.

Tuck led the Chicks’ 13-hit attack with a pair of doubles, while Currin hit three singles and Phillingane and Ballentine had two apiece.