Michael Geary Project First Pitch 6/8/2011

OUR SHOWCASE/TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

6/25/2011:

Polar Crush Showcase;  Devens, MA

7/1/11:

Mike Tingley Stars and Stripes Showcase;  Warwick, RI

7/8/11:

Tradition Showcase;  Meriden, CT

7/15/11: 

NSA Mass State Tournament;   Lowell, MA

7/23/11:

Newtown Rock Showcase;   Newtown, PA

7/29/11:

Barbara Hamilton Tournament;  Hudson, NH

8/5/11:

New England's Finest Showcase;  Plainville, MA

First Weekend In The Books

With the school seasons finished and the first day of Summer already passed, the Heat Gold 18s hit the fields a running this past weekend in the Polar Crush Showcase.  It was an exciting Spring for the Heat ladies as we saw 4 of our players (Jess, Delaney, JulieAnne and Julia) capture state championships with their school teams and 2 other players (Mary and Angela) garner All State honors in New Hampshire.  We also had a couple of players (Abby and Kelsey) reach the state semi-finals with their high school teams. 

The Heat Gold had a great weekend of softball and after our first game was rained out (love New England weather), they went on and played 4 tough games against tough opponents, winning two and coming out on the short end of the other two games.  In the mud on Saturday, it was an evenly played affair but the Bay State Bandits managed to squeak out a 1-0 win.  The afternoon matchup against the Hurricanes Red saw the ladies take an early 4-1 lead and then hold on for a 4-3 victory in 7 innings.  On Sunday it was a familiar foe in the Firecracker Fury Gold first thing in the morning.  We held an early 2-1 lead but the Fury had one big inning and scored 3 unearned runs.  Final score in 7 innings was a 4-3 loss.  The final game of the weekend was the best game of the weekend.  Despite being down 4-1 in the 5th inning to the Frozen Ropes Thunder, the power bats game alive and the ladies pushed across 5 runs to go ahead 6-4.  Pitching and defense made sure of the victory by setting down the Thunder 1-2-3 in the final two innings. 

We get back after it this coming weekend in Warwick at the Mike Tingley Stars & Stripes Showcase. 

Spring Awakenings!

Winter workouts have ended and the ladies have been turned over to their high school coaches.  We wish them all the best of luck in their high school seasons.  We are proud to announce that the Hudson Heat have been invited by the New England HardLiners to participate in an exciting event on June 8th in Amherst, NH.  The HardLiners have created the Michael Geary Project, a program aimed at promoting support and awareness for wounded troops.  The HardLiners have dedicated their summer tournament schedule to honoring the men and women who have sacrificed so much in their service to our country.  At each of their tournaments, they will be honoring a wounded soldier.  Their hope is to invite that soldier to one of their games and to pay tribute by wearing patches to show their support.  The program is named after Lance Corporal Michael Geary, USMC, who was killed during combat operations in Afghanistan in December of 2010.  LCPL Geary was 20 years old and from Derry, NH.

On June 8th, the HardLiners will be kicking off this program with a scrimmage/cookout/tribute at Souhegan High School and they have invited the Heat to be their opponent that night.  The night will include a motorcycle escort by the Leathernecks Motorcycle Club, who will be riding in with a group of Vietnam Veterans from the west coast as part of a cross country ride.  The umpires for the game are all veterans.  The game will be followed by a cookout under the lights.  It should be a fantastic evening of patriotism and softball.  A very big thank you to Coach Eric Mensh and the New England HardLiners for including us in this noble program.