Enforcers 14U Grey wins title
Claim USSSA ‘C’ Eastern National Championship
The Enforcers 14U Grey softball team capped its season with a near perfect run at the USSSA ‘C’ Eastern National Championships July 14-17 in Loudoun County, Virginia, capturing the 14U title by rallying for a 7-6 victory over East Coast Panthers 14U Pride.
The Enforcers, composed of players from the East Norriton and Lansdale areas, began their season August 2021 and practiced three times per week — pitchers and catchers doing an additional fourth day of training — and played 62 games, going 8-1 at Eastern Nationals.
Players also volunteered to help younger players in the NorGwyn recreational softball program during winter and summer workout clinics.
Members of the Enforcers 14U Grey are Lia DiLorenzo (third base, catcher), Teghann Bowman (catcher), Hailey Cabot (pitcher, first base, outfield), Tori Cavanaugh (pitcher, outfield), Julie Mackaman (second base), Averi Sullivan (shortstop), Angie Mackaman (third base), Lexi DiBricida (pitcher first base), Julia Edmond (outfield), Gianna Howard (center field), Jayda Sassaman (left field) and Danica Borzillo (outfield).
Enforcers 14U Grey won their first seven games at Eastern Nationals before falling 4-0 to East Coast Panthers on Sunday, July 17. But they bounced back in the day’s second matchup with the Panthers, erasing a three-run deficit to win the championship.
In the third meeting between the teams at the tournament, Enforcers — who on Saturday won the first contest with the Panthers 9-0 — took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second on back-toback RBI singles by Sassaman and Bowman before East Coast Panthers plated four in the top of the third for a 5-2 advantage.
A DiLorenzo RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third pulled Enforcers within 5-3 only for East Coast to add a run in the top of the fifth. Enforcers, however, answered with three in the bottom of the frame to pull level. Howard hit an RBI single then scored on DiLorenzo’s RBI triple that made it 6-5. Sullivan followed with an RBI double to knot things at six.
Enforcers brought home the winning run in the sixth. Cabot started the bottom of the inning with a double, took third on a wild pitch then scored to make it 7-6 on Sassaman’s RBI groundout. Pitcher DiBricida finished a completegame victory with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to secure the tournament crown.
DiLorenzo finished 2-for-3 with a double, triple, two RBIs and a run scored while Bowman was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Enforcers began Eastern Nationals scoring 15 runs in the top of the first in rolling to an 18-6 threeinning win over Maryland Aftershock 14U on Thursday, July 14. Cavanaugh, Sassaman and DiBricida all had three hits while Cavanaugh had three RBIs.
A 3-2 victory over Frederick County Flames later that day had Enforcers complete pool play at 2-0.
Enforcers opened bracket play with a 7-6 comeback victory over Krush 14U-Viscardo on Friday, July 15. After Krush scored all of its runs in the top of the second, Enforcers made it 6-2 in the bottom of the inning on RBI doubles from Sassaman and DiBricida then took the lead with a five-spot in the third.
A Sullivan RBI double and Cavanaugh’s RBI single made it 6-4. Sassaman’s two-out RBI single cut the margin to 6-5 with DiBricida’s two-RBI single making it 7-6 Enforcers.
DiBricida finished 2-for-2 with three RBIs, Sassaman was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored while DiLorenzo went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Enforcers picked up a third straight one-run win later Friday in edging Shippensburg Xtreme-Triplett 5-4 — Julie Mackaman scoring on DiLorenzo’s bases-loaded RBI fielder’s choice to break a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the fifth and final inning.
Howard went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, DiLorenzo was 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored while both Sassaman and Julie Mackaman were 2-for-3 with a run scored
In starting Saturday, July 16 with a 5-2 win over 2 Out Storm 13U, Cavanaugh went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and an RBI and earned the completegame pitching win. Sullivan finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.
DiBricida followed by throwing a five-inning shutout in Enforcers’ 9-0 win over East Coast Panthers 14U Pride, allowing two hits and striking out four. Cabot went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored while Bowman was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored. Julie Mackaman collected an RBI and scored twice as she went 2-for-4 while Cavanaugh was 2-for-3 and scored twice.
Enforcers ended Saturday with a 9-7 victory over Audubon Aces. Enforcers led 5-1 after the first inning before the Aces rallied to go up 7-5 after a four-run top of the third. But the Enforcers responded with three in the bottom of the inning for an 8-7 advantage then added another run in the fourth.
Sassaman hit a pair of doubles and finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored.