Marble Falls SWAT earn national tourney bid
MEDINA VALLEY — The Marble Falls SWAT softball team continues to make history thanks to earning three straight wins at the regional tournament July 8-10.
That propelled the team to a national tournament at Dell Diamond to become the first 8-and-under softball squad of the Marble Falls Youth Baseball and Softball to get to nationals. SWAT already made history by being the first 8-and-under team to qualify for the regional tournament.
The team knew by the afternoon of July 9 its destiny thanks to wins against Westlake Western Hills, Manchac and Lake Travis. That was good enough to claim one of the top four spots.
“Our girls were hitting the ball well,” assistant coach Leno Garza said. “We were turning double plays.”
SWAT beat Western Hills and Manchac by at least four runs each and defeated Lake Travis 17-8.
“We were a little concerned about Lake Travis,” Garza said. “In previous years, we played them at home during rec ball. The first time we faced them in fall ball, they beat us at home. We actually ran away with it.”
SWAT lost to Oak Hill, which beat the Marble Falls squad in the sectional tournament June 19, to finish the second day.
“They were pretty frustrating,” Garza said. “We lost by five runs, three or four were scored in the last inning. The consistency beat us. We overthrew balls and had fielding errors. Their consistency is unbelievable.”
SWAT ended the tournament with a four-run loss to Cedar Park on July 10. Trailing 6-0, Adrianna Garza hit a 3-run homer that sailed over the first baseman’s head and was a foot inside fair territory. It rolled to the fence, allowing the hit to clear the bases.
Other players had strong hits that were caught by outfielders, Garza said.
“We’d already accomplished what we were there to do,” he said.
Oak Hill won the tournament and only had to play three games to do it, Garza said.
The national tournament is at Round Rock’s Dell Diamond. The welcome parade is July 19 with pool play July 20-21 and bracket play July 22.
The team will hold a fundraiser July 16-17, though Garza said he wasn’t sure what it would do.