Intensity places seventh at national softball tournament

Six wins in eight games proved to be enough to earn the Intensity, a 12-and-under all-star team out of South Huntington Beach Girls Fastpitch Softball, a seventh-place finish at the Western B Nationals in Las Cruces, N.M. on Aug. 5.

The Intensity went 6-2 in a division that included 47 teams.

Their seventh-place finish marked the third-straight year that South Huntington Beach has placed in the top 10 at the national tournament.

Intensity 10, Los Gatos Magic 0

Madi Perez threw a four-inning no-hitter that was secured by the play of infielders Melanie Coyne and Emily Richards who combined on seven put-outs as the Intensity dominated their pool play opener.

Intensity 6, Albuquerque 1

Catcher Jillian Martinez went three-for-three and scored twice offensively, and threw out two runners attempting to steal bases, in this win.

Intensity 2, Berkeley 0

Madi Perez went the distance and notched her second shutout win, and Logan Vournas and Sam Santopoalo led the Intensity offense each by going two-for-two with a run batted in and a run scored.

WAGS 4, Intensity 0

The Intensity held eventual division runner-up WAGS to its second-lowest point total of the tournament but still suffered its first tournament loss.

“We took many positives from this game,” Intensity Coach Greg Vournas said. “Outfielders Nikki Watkins, Logan Vournas and Madison Pautsch were flying around making diving catches.”

Intensity 9, Las Vegas 0

In 100-degree heat, Kierstyn Suda threw a five-inning shutout and Jessica Kuiper, Kelsey Bartlett and Emily Richards combined for six RBIs as the Intensity blanked the Majestic.

Intensity 12, Placentia-Yorba Linda 0

Pitchers Madi Perez and Angie Santopoalo combined for the shutout and Melanie Coyne , Sarah Baca, Madison Pautsch and Sarah Wood provided nine hits and seven runs in another easy win.

Intensity 3, Goleta 2

In their fourth and final game of the day Saturday, the Intensity rallied from a two-run deficit to beat Goleta in a nine-inning game. The Intensity scored a run in the fourth inning to narrow the deficit to 2-1 and in its final at-bat in the seventh, used a walk by Jillian Martinez — who went on to steal both second and third base — an RBI-sacrifice bunt by Melanie Coyne, to tie the score and send the game into extra innings.

The Intensity scored the winning run in the ninth.

Madi Perez pitched all nine innings to notch another win.

Bakersfield 5, Intensity 1

An emotionally-drained Intensity team ran out of steam in the fifth-place game where it lost to Bakersfield.

The Intensity completed the season with an overall tournament record of 33-12-3. They won two tournament titles, placed second at the Central District tournament and finished third at California state tournament.

“This has been an unforgettable season,” Greg Vournas said. “We were the underdog in every tournament we entered. This team worked so hard to compete with the level of competition we faced and never quit. I want to personally thank all the girls for giving their very best.”

The Intensity roster includes Kelsey Bartlett, Sarah Baca, Carly Bradford, Melanie Coyne, Jessica Kuiper, Jillian Martinez, Madeline Moore, Madison Pautsch, Madi Perez, Emily Richards, Angie Santopoalo, Sam Santopoalo, Kierstyn Suda, Logan Vournas, Nikki Watkins, Sarah Wood and coaches Greg Vournas and Dwain Pautsch.