Published: July 04, 2009 11:58 pm      

USFA tourney gets started

More than 50 girls’ fast-pitch softball teams took the field Saturday in search of a state championship — and most of them will be back in Meridian today.

The United States Fast-Pitch Association’s Mississippi State Tournament, which actually began Friday with pool play, will wrap up late this afternoon with championship games at both Northeast Park and the Sammie Davidson Complex.

The only area team in action at Northeast Park Saturday was the Mississippi Hurricanes, who dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker to the Gulf Coast Storm in 14-under action. The Hurricanes will now face elimination beginning at 8 a.m. this morning in their nine-team bracket.

There were 13 teams each in the 10-under and 12-under brackets at Sammie Davidson; with just one team in each age division being eliminated Saturday.

Here’s a rundown of Saturday’s action from SDC:

• In 10-under action, the Collinsville-based Tropical Storm was eliminated after losses to the Delta Diamonds and the Mississippi Crush; while the Xplosion of Philadelphia won over the Crush (Byram) and the Delta Diamonds (Cleveland).

The Krush squad of Tupelo defeated Madison Motion and Coastal Chaos; the Mississippi Eclipse of Batesville defeated the Lake Cormorant Lady Tigers and the Mississippi Shockers of Holly Springs; and the Mississippi Elite (Jackson) won over the Southern Hurricanes of Hattiesburg and Mississippi Blast of Clinton.

• In 12-under action, the Central Mississippi All-Stars were defeated by the Northeast Mississippi Cyclones; while the Madison-based Lady Thrashers fell to the Lady Tigers and Desoto County Illusions and were eliminated.

The Madison Motion 96 team defeated Madison Motion 97 and top-seeded Velocity Gulf Coast; the Rip Squad of Columbus topped the D.C. Illusions and the Lady Tigers; the Southern Belles defeated the Deep South Slammers; Mississippi Elite 97 defeated the Cyclones; and Elite 96 topped the Belles.

— Rocky Higginbotham