Arianna Owens, Southwest Heat Run the Table in Final Tournament

North Nodaway athlete Arianna Owens and her travel softball team, the Southwest Iowa Heat, ran the table and went 5-0 in their final tournament last weekend.

On June 6th, their first game was against the Little Hawks. They build up a 5-1 lead after one, but then had to hold off a frantic rally to get a 5-4 win in five innings. Arianna Owens walked, scored a run, and stole a base. All their games but their last one were hard-fought, with their first four decided by three runs or less.

Their second game saw them pitted against Ankeny Xtreme Blue and saw them come out on top 7-4. The game took the same course as the first, with the Heat jumping out to a 5-0 lead after one, only to hold off a frantic rally as Ankeny closed to within 5-4 after three. The Heat tacked on two insurance runs to get the win. Arianna Owens was 1 for 2 that game with an RBI and a run scored, coming home on a wild pitch.

The third game took the opposite turn. The game was scoreless until the fourth inning, when Sirens White pushed a run across to take a 1-0 lead. But the Heat scored three in the final inning to get the 3-1 win. Arianna Owens had a triple and drove in a run, going 1 for 2.

On the first day, the Heat had played errorless ball in the field to keep opponents off the board, but they struggled in the field to start the second day against the Alburnett Pirates, committing three. But the bats came alive as well as they had all weekend as they collected 11 hits. Arianna Owens was 1 for 2 with a stolen base, driving in a run. The Heat looked like they were in trouble, falling behind 4-2 after the top of the third, but they came alive with five in the third to lead 7-4 before they held on for a 7-5 win. Arianna made three catches in center field during the game.

Against Ottumwa Edge, the Heat finally put someone away, scoring five in the first and five in the third to get the 10-1 win. Arianna Owens carried the team on her shoulders that game, going two for two for the game and stealing six bases, while driving in three. As a team, the Heat stole 14 bases that game. Two of Arianna’s steals were of home. For her efforts over the weekend, Arianna Owens was named MVP for the tournament.

 

 

 

 

Arianna Owens, Southwest Heat Take Five of Six

Last weekend, North Nodaway student Arianna Owens and her 12 & Under travel softball team, the Southwest Iowa Heat, went to Ankeny and Norwalk to a softball tournament. They got off to a rough start this year, but won five out of their six games to get over .500.

In their first game, the Heat won 6-2 over the Elkhorn Elite. They scored one in the first, three in the second, and two in the fourth before Elkhorn got two on the board in their half. Arianna had two walks, two runs, and two stolen bases.  In the second game, they beat Knox County Crush 8-0, scoring two in the first, two in the third, and four in the fifth. Arianna was 0 for 2.

In the third game, the Heat beat the Bombers 10-0 in three innings. Arianna walked once, stole two bases, and scored a run. In the fourth game, they beat Jayhawks Sledge 9-1. Arianna got her first hit, stole three bases, including a steal of home, and scored twice.

On the second day, the Heat dropped their first game of the tournament to Homer Heat. Arianna made two catches in the field that game. The Heat won their fifth game via forfeit.