Upgraded Blast sweeps competition at tourney

     By W.G. Ramirez
     View staff writer
      Completing a 14-game sweep over a two-week span, the Las Vegas Blast 14-and-under fastpitch softball team won the Pair-A-Dice tournament two weeks ago at West Flamingo Park.
      The tournament was an American Fastpitch Association national qualifier, and by capturing the title the Blast earned a berth in the AFA National Championship Tournament in Chicago later this year.
      The Blast, which faced its stiffest competition this year, ended up facing four teams that won tournaments in California and Arizona.
      Teams from Oregon, California, Arizona and Nevada competed in the event.
      After dismantling the California Dynasty 9-0 in the first round, the Blast edged Arizona Destiny 4-3 in the second round, then routed Henderson's Impact 12-0 to sweep its pool.
      In the championship bracket, the Blast drubbed another local squad, this time the Las Vegas Gamblers, 12-2.
      At that point, Gonzales knew it would be the last cakewalk of the tournament.
      "The next three games were all against strong teams," he said. "We knew we'd have our hands full."
      Next up was another Henderson-based team -- the Voltage -- which the Blast beat 4-2 in the Utah ASA Championship. This scenario would turn out a bit different, though, as the Blast stormed to a 9-1 victory.
      In the semifinals, the Blast was reunited with the San Diego Renegades, a familiar opponent from six weeks earlier.
      In the earlier tourney, the Blast defeated the Renegades 5-1 in pool play, but fell short in the title game, 4-3.
      In the rubber match two weeks ago, however, the Blast got the best of San Diego with a staunch defensive effort to win, 3-0.
      In the championship, the Blast faced a solid Flash D'Gold team, based out of Southern California. A slugfest ensued, as Las Vegas took a 7-5 lead after three innings.
      Then the Blast launched its attack, scoring six more runs over the next three innings to capture the title, 13-5.
      In seven games, the Blast played flawless defense and drilled seven home runs, seven triples and 12 doubles.
      "In almost every game a different player was a hitting star," Gonzales said. "Shannon Crisp was the pitching star for (us) with both Jeremee Peters and Theresa Liedlich also contributing. Nikki, Danielle Delgado and Amy Gleicher were each standouts in the infield with outfielders Heather Bravo, Kristin Gonzales, Alecia Williams and Nikki Dorn each making several great plays."
      The players, who come from the Southwest, Northwest and Green Valley, are: Heather Bravo, Shannon Crisp, Lisa Curran, Danielle Delgado, Nikki Dorn, Trina Dorn, Kristin Gonzales, Theresa Liedlich, Nikki Ortiz, Jeremee Peters, Jessica Wadsworth and Alecia Williams.
      "We are pleasently surprised as we are a young team consisting of 12 and 13 year olds and our whole team with the exception of one girl can return to the 14-and-under level again next year," Gonzales said.
      Assisting Gonzales is Jim Crisp, Benny Gleicher, and the team manager is Krynn Williams.
      Competing at the 12-and-under level last year, the Blast placed sixth in the nation at the Amateur Softball Association National Tournament in St. Louis.
      The team moved to the 14-and-under level following St. Louis and ever since has compiled a 59-3 record, with the losses coming against ASA's Nos. 1, 3 and 4 teams in the nation.
      In the past eight months, the Blast has competed in seven tournaments and been to the title game each time, winning five of them.
      "We have been very impressed with the way the girls have stepped up their level of play both offensively and defensively," Gonzales said. "This didn't happen by accident as the girls have put in many hours of hard dedicated work. We are just as convinced that the best is yet to come and we hope to peak when the ASA or AFA Nationals come around in August of this year.
      Other local teams competing in the 14-and-under division were the Vegas Voltage (3-2), Legacy (1-2), Gamblers (1-3), Impact (1-3), Diamonds (0-4), Rage (0-4) and the Venom (0-4).
      In the 14-team 12-and-under division, the Southern Cal Crunch from Chino Calif., beat the Chino Sidewinders in the championship.
      Local teams entered in the event were the Blast (0-4), Gamblers-Red (0-4), Gamblers-White (0-4), Rage (1-3), Rage Maroon (1-3) and the Vegas Voltage (0-4 )
      In the eight-team 10-and-under division, American Pastime -- the nation's No. 1 ranked team from Upland, Calif. -- beat Invasion (Placentia, Calif.) in the title game. The only local team entered was the Sunrise All-Stars, who went 0-5 after entering the tournament one week prior to the event.