Worrell lifts Rock Gold to another win in Texas
PLANO, TEXAS » After going undefeated in pool play with a 3-0 record, Rock Gold kept right on rolling in the USA Softball Gold Nationals Wednesday in the first round of double-elimination play.
Taking on Texas Elite Platinum from the local Dallas area, Rock Gold posted an easy 8-0 victory behind a sensational performance from Ashley Worrell.
By the time the game was concluded, Worrell had cranked up a no-hitter with five strikeouts and also blasted a two-run homer when the Lower Bucks County-based team blew the game wide open with five runs in the bottom of the third inning.
With the victory, Rock Gold advanced to play the Texas Blaze on Thursday at 12:30.
The impressive thing about Rock Gold is it continues to beat teams loaded up with college players while its lineup consists of girls who were either high school juniors or seniors this past school year.
“We’re really good, but you can see the physical difference between our girls and the college players,” said Rock Gold coach/ sponsor Rick Waye. “Hopefully we can keep it up. The kids have been great and are having a lot of fun.”
Texas Elite Platinum, for instance, had six college players in its starting lineup.
In the decisive bottom of the third, Rock Gold got going on a single by Abby Warner. From there, Elena Gonzalez singled home a run and Meghan Sheehan singled.
Breanna Bryant then laced an RBI double to center, Emma Ritter got a run home with a single to shortstop and Worrell blasted the big blow with the two homer.
Courtney Paolanto also homered in the fourth for a Rock Gold team that piled up 10 hits on the day. Bryant and Ritter both had two hits with both of Bryant’s hits going for doubles.
In Rock Gold’s two-run fifth that put the run rule into effect, Ritter laced an RBI double and Danni Farley stroked an RBI single.
It was a strong all-around performance for the locals as Rock Gold committed no errors in support of Worrell in the circle.
“If we can stay in the winners bracket and play one game a day it will really help,” said Waye. “It’s brutally hot, but the heat doesn’t bother (Thursday’s pitcher) Danni (Farley).”