Gipson, Fastpitch Alvarado amongst top eight at OKC national showcase

 

By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democrat Reporter

Incoming Gillespie High School senior Emma Gipson and Select Fastpitch Alvarado 18U finished as one of the top eight squads at a national showcase tournament in Oklahoma City last weekend.

Alvarado opened the tournament with an eight-run second inning outburst and knocked off the OC Batbusters, 8-6, June 21. The team ended the day with a tough 4-5 loss but was ready to roll the next morning.

Alvarado swept a triple-header of games by knocking off Hotshots National Jones 2-1, OK Athletics National-Madden 6-5 and Tulsa Elite National 5-1 June 22.

Gipson made the start on the rubber and picked up the win after allowing just one run on five hits over the course of five frames against HNJ.

After turning in a pair of additional innings in the victory over Tulsa, Gipson was back in action as the starting pitcher June 23 against the Louisiana Bombers. She surrendered two runs on five hits in a tight 5-4 contest. Alvarado was trailing 1-0 at the end of Gipson’s afternoon but flipped the script after falling further behind through five, 2-0. The bats came alive from the sixth inning onward and rallied Alvarado to victory. The girls took a tough 3-2 loss to the Oklahoma Athletics in the next game but rebounded via a convincing 12-1 triumph over the Bombers in a highly-anticipated rematch to advance.

Alvarado’s tournament run ended with a 6-1 loss against the OC Batbusters June 24. After their starter was knocked out after coughing up six tallies in less than three innings, Gipson bridged the gap and kept the opposition quiet in relief. Unfortunately, the bats could only muster one hit in defeat.

Alvarado owns a 16-8-2 record thus far.