The Tyler County Tantrum Wins Tournament

The Tyler County Tantrum, a 10 & Under girls fastpitch softball team, won the Texas ASA-C State Championship Tournament this past weekend on the Lassie League Fields at Galveston's Airport Park.

            The Tantrum, a county league-based all-star team, bested a field of 36 teams to win the title. The tournament, a double elimination event, featured the best all-star teams from across the state and the tourney bracket included a number of second-year, select or travel balls clubs, as well.

            Remarkably, the Tantrum had only two and a half weeks of practice to prepare for the tournament while many of the tourney teams were through with local and district competition well ahead of the annual event.

            The Tantrum's roster included Woodville's Mika Maxwell, Ashton Weatherford, Avery Tolar, Shelby Mixon and Alyssa King; Warren's Brooke Wolcott, Ashlynn Whisneant, Chelsea Hammons and Emily Cloud; Colmesneil's Merrick Graham and Kaci Vaughn; and Chester's Destiny Kuehn. The Tantrum is coached by Dave Youngblood, Jimmy Watts and Chris Hammons.

            In the tournament finale against the Richmond Stampede, the Tantrum rallied from a 3-0 deficit with a final inning six-run barrage that was capped by catcher Ashton Weatherford's grand slam home run. Pitcher Mika Maxwell sealed the team's claim to their first place trophies by fanning the last two Stampede batters with runners on second and third.

            During the championship trophy presentation, tournament director and ASA District 36 commissioner Terry Siggers noted the Tantrum's ability to "find a way to win" and "never give up" as well as their on and off-field displays of good sportsmanship.

            Although no definite plans have been finalized, the Tantrum are considering the possibility of continuing to compete in open fastpitch tournaments through the rest of the summer and fall of this season.