Sliders represent area at ASA national tourneys

What some people will do to get their softball fix.

George Lynn, his wife Karen and daughter Danielle spent the better part of a week at two Amateur Softball Association national select age-group tournaments conducted miles apart that his two Spokane Sliders teams participated in.

At one point they drove some 19 hours and 1,300 miles nonstop from the 14-U A tourney in Midland, Texas, to the 18-U A in Clovis, Calif., as part of the nearly 4,500-mile whirlwind trip.

The younger Sliders had completed a 37-9 season with a 49th-place finish (out of 96 teams). The older team was still alive in Clovis where it would ultimately finish tied for ninth (out of 116 teams) during a 38-13 season.

“It was a big achievement,” said Lynn, who has been a part of the Sliders for nine years and is also head coach at Shadle Park High.

He was talking about the ninth-place finish, but might have been talking about his family’s undertaking. Danielle is the third of three daughters long active in the sport, so such a trip was hardly unusual. It was the mode of transportation that differed.

The Lynns drove from Spokane, covering the 1,800-plus miles to Midland in two days. The 14-U Sliders, on which Danielle plays shortstop, went 3-3 overall, all three losses by a run. One was to seventh-place finisher Fresno Crush in nine innings after leading 3-0 in the seventh. Another was 3-2 to USA Athletics, a California team that finished fourth.

“I found out when we were knocked out on Friday that the 18s won their third game,” said Lynn. “Knowing they were going to be a top-finisher, I needed to be down there. We left Friday at 4 p.m. and got in at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. Luckily we gained two hours.”

They arrived just as the Sliders were finishing a 1-0 win over eventual fourth-place finishing Miami Mini Canes on Randi Sandifer‘s fifth-inning home run.

It was the Sliders’ fourth straight tourney victory after losing two pool seeding games. They would lose their final two of the tournament, but the accomplishment can’t be understated.

“It was the highest a Washington team had ever placed. That came right from the Junior Olympics commissioner’s mouth,” said Lynn.

The 18-U Sliders tourney team included eight current or former Greater Spokane League players. Stephanie Trudeau, who averaged 13 strikeouts a game pitching in four games, and Sandifer attend Shadle. Jackie Purser is at Mt. Spokane. Halley Cey played for Mead, and JoAnna Gonzales and Francie Raffini for Ferris. Christine Keeton, who was 11-for-23 during nationals, played for University and Whitney McDaniel is at Central Valley High.

During the season the Sliders played eight tournaments, three in Oregon, two in Washington, and in Denver before winning regionals, in Salem, Ore., for the third straight year. During that period they won 18 straight games.

“As far as I know, no other team has done that,” said Lynn. “It always seems like the Sliders turn it on toward the end of the year. It’s just amazing.”

The bulk of the 14-U Sliders tourney team is from the North Side and Valley. Samantha Skillingstad, who in Lynn’s opinion was best pitcher in the tournament, Danielle Lynn, China Frost and Krista Zappone are future Shadle players, Andrea Hacker and Alex Cey will go to Mead, Mickenzie Alden is at Central Valley, and Allie Burger, Genasee Aman and Mallory Mott are East Valley District athletes.

“They won four tournaments and played in three 16-U tourneys,” said Lynn. “Another clutch hit (at nationals) and they’d have still been playing. That’s how good this team was.”

The Sliders went unbeaten in three tournaments, winning seven games in Spokane’s Fourth of July event while outscoring opponents 65-0.

At conclusion of competition in Clovis and with a night’s rest, the Lynns made the final leg of their journey. They left at 10 a.m. and arrived home 16 hours later.

Lynn reflected on the Sliders’ accomplishments after a week’s recuperation time.

“Any time you have two of your teams represent the city like that at the national level, I think you’ve made a big step,” he said. “It was probably the best we’ve seen from any Sliders program.”

It made the long and circuitous road trip by automobile to be at two national youth softball tournaments entirely worthwhile.

“It was worth it just to be a part of it,” said Lynn. “I’d do it again.”