One 18U squad still alive in national tourney

POWDER SPRINGS, GA. >> It was a close call, but one 18-and-under girls softball team from the area is still alive in a national tournament.

Competing in the Junior Olympic Cup, Rock GoldWaye of Holland, Pennsylvania, won its first game in the losers’ bracket Thursday when it beat TS Stars Gold by the score of 2-1.

Sponsored and managed by Rick Waye, who previously coached several successful teams in The Trentonian Softball Tournament, Rock Gold was to have returned to action against Wagner’s of Maryland late Thursday night.

Should it have won that game, Rock Gold will play its third game in the losers’ bracket Friday morning.

After losing its first game of the tournament to the Michigan Finesse, Rock Gold rebounded behind the strong pitching of Ashley Worrell. A junior this upcoming year at Hagerty High School in Florida, Worrell worked six strong innings and struck out four.

Shortstop Julia DaCosta of Massachusetts had two hits and also walked for the Lower Bucks County team. lost to TNL, 3-0, in the losers’ bracket Thursday.

The New Jersey Cheetahs had a high finish last year, but this time ended up going 2-2 with both wins coming in the losers’ bracket.

Newtown Rock Gold was eliminated the previous day when it went 2-4 and managed only one win in double elimination play for the second straight year. Newtown Rock Gold played in the higher Premier Division that is again being dominated by California teams. Premier Champions, Adonis Stevenson vs. Thomas Williams, for Stevenson’s WBC light heavyweight title; Eleider Alverez vs. Robert Berridge, light heavyweights, at Quebec City, 9 p.m., SPIKE British Columbia at Calgary: 10 p.m., ESPN2 NHRA, Toyota Sonoma Nationals, U.S. Open Series: ATP World Tour, Rogers Cup, quarterfinals, at Toronto: 12:30p.m., ESPN2 U.S. Open Series: ATP World Tour, Rogers Cup, quarterfinals, at Toronto: 6:30p.m., ESPN2 Tracktown Summer Series Championship, at Eugene, Ore.: 9:30 p.m., ESPN