LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The West Texas A&M softball team claimed the fourth annual Desert Stinger tournament title in its first appearance in the 28-team classic.
The Lady Buffs finished the tournament unbeaten, and edged out the University of Mary for the first place finish. Mary was the other undefeated team, but West Texas A&M won the run differential tiebreaker. The Lady Buffs scored 43 runs, while giving up 13, and totaled 27 tournament points. Mary followed closely behind with 19 points, allowing 26 runs and scoring 47.
Western Washington also scored 19 points, finishing third in the tournament with a 4-1 record. The Vikings totaled a tournament-high 49 runs. Cal State-Dominguez Hills and Colorado School of Mines came in fourth and fifth place. Minot State matched a tournament-record low by only allowing nine runs. The Beavers came in sixth. Seven teams finished the tournament winning four of their five games.
Cal State-Dominguez Hills' Adrianna Sanchez was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, while Colorado Mines' Kelly Unkrich was the Most Outstanding Pitcher.
Sanchez broke a pair of tournament records, hitting five home runs, and totaled 27 bases. She was also one run shy of the tournament record for runs scored at 11. Sanchez totaled a tournament-high 11 hits and was second with 11 RBI. She hit .524 in the tournament with a 1.286 slugging percentage. Unkrich finished the tournament with three wins with a 1.20 ERA. She struck out 26 batters, 10 were strikeouts looking. The senior appeared in 23.1 innings. Unkrich's opponents' batting average was .150.
Sanchez and Unkrich were named both named Players of the Week in their respective conferences following the tournament.
Sonoma State and Fort Lewis both had two players on the All-Tournament First Team. Sonoma State's Megan Konieczka and Vanessa Currie appeared on the First Team, along with Fort Lewis' Chelsea Rodriguez and Missy Fundora. Rodriguez was the lone player named All-Tournament for the second straight year at the Desert Stinger. The All-Tournament teams were voted by coaches from the 28 schools at the tournament. Sonoma State and Cal State-Dominguez Hills led the tournament with three All-Tournament selections overall.
A total of 21 tournament records were matched or broken during the 2013 edition. Along with Sanchez, First Team selection, Shelby Watts of New Mexico Highlands, hit five home runs in the tournament. Second Team selection, Humboldt State's Hillary Williams, hit three home runs in a game against New Mexico Highlands. The Lumberjacks broke a tournament record with seven home runs in a 12-11 loss to New Mexico Highlands. Both teams combined for 10 home runs in one of the more entertaining games of the 70-game tournament.
Metro State broke two tournament records with 44 at bats and 23 hits in a 17-10 win over host Montana State Billings. Metro State's Stacie Oury, matched two records with three doubles against MSUB, and three steals against Azusa Pacific.
Dominguez Hills' Brittany Brenner, another second team selection, broke a tournament record with six hits in a 22-3 win over Simon Fraser. The Toros' Lauren Harper received second team honors after matching a tournament record with 14 strikeouts in a 7-2 victory over Western New Mexico.
Details on the fifth annual tournament will be released in the near future. The field may expand to 32 teams and more games over a three-day span. The tournament will return to Majestic Park in Las Vegas again in 2014.
Most Outstanding Player: Adrianna Sanchez – Cal State-Dominguez Hills
Most Outstanding Pitcher: Kelly Unkrich – Colorado School of Mines
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First Team |
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Name |
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School |
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Adrianna Sanchez |
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Cal State-Dominguez Hills |
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Kelly Unkrich |
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Colorado School of Mines |
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Kelly Franks |
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St. Cloud |
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Trisha Bouchard |
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Simon Fraser |
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Jessica Belsterling |
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Colorado-Colorado Springs |
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*Chelsea Rodriguez |
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Fort Lewis |
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Missy Fundora |
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Fort Lewis |
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Alexie Levin |
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Western Washington |
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Megan Konieczka |
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Sonoma State |
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Vanessa Currie |
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Sonoma State |
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Kierra Jeffers |
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Minnesota-Duluth |
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Shelby Watts |
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New Mexico Highlands |
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Second Team |
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Name |
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School |
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Brittney Hadley |
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Mary |
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Susie Oury |
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Metro State |
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Brittany Brenner |
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Cal State-Dominguez Hills |
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Lauren Harper |
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Cal State-Dominguez Hills |
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Cherlyn Trujillo |
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Mary |
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Samantha Lipperd |
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Sonoma State |
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Hannah Williams |
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Humboldt State |
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Jessica Sipe |
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West Texas A&M |
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Anna Cue |
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Dixie State |
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Haley Walker |
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Grand Canyon |
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Mary Ortega |
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Notre Dame de Namur |
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Jourdan Hitchings |
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Colorado-Colorado Springs |
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* 2012 First Team Selection |
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