Storm 08 14U Fastpitch, Gibson, with championship double dip
The Storm 08 14U Fastpitch travel softball team recently won the PGF Vette City Summer Showcase in Evansville (IN) June 25. The girls went 8-0 in the tournament and are now 78-11-3 on the season. One of the players is Carlinville High School sophomore Hallie Gibson, who is pictured in the far right corner of the back row. Photo courtesy of the Storm 08 Facebook page.
By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democrat Reporter
Carlinville High School sophomore Hallie Gibson has been battling injury adversity but that hasn’t slowed down her travel softball team.
Gibson’s Storm 08 14U Fastpitch squad recently captured back-to-back titles at national showcases near the end of June.
The girls went a perfect 8-0 during each tournament and raised their overall record to 78-11-3 on the season.
PGF Top 50 Showcase
The first title win came at the PGF Top 50 Showcase Tournament in Elkhart (IN) on June 16, 17 and 18.
The girls claimed the hardware at Melissa Cook Stadium, home to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish college softball team, in the championship game.
The Storm defeated GenuWin Reign 14u TM by a score of 9-1 in the final and outscored their challengers, 59-6, as a collective.
As a team, the girls batted a whopping .379 while stifling oppositions with a microscopic 0.50 earned run average. Storm pitchers tossed three shutouts, including a no-hitter, en route to the championship.
Carlinville High School sophomore Hallie Gibson and her assistant coach (father) Randy Gibson recently represented their hometown and local community at Melissa Cook Stadium, the home of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Gibson’s Storm 08 Fastpitch travel softball team clinched the championship of the PGF Top 50 Showcase on this field June 18. Photo contributed.
PGF Vette City Summer Showcase
The Storm re-seized glory at the PGF Vette City Summer Showcase in Evansville (IN) June 23, 24 and 25.
The girls routed Sarnicola (MI), 8-1, to cap off a surge in which they outscored their opponents by a margin of 45-plus runs.
The bats continued to rattle with an average of .380 and the pitching remained “lights out.” Storm arms added two more shutouts to their resume and sustained an ERA of 1.24.
Family and other local ties
Hallie’s sister, Hannah Gibson, also won the Vette City showcase at the 18U level with Force Elite. North Mac senior Abby Hendricks is also a member of that team.
Hallie’s squad is additionally represented by her father, Randy Gibson, who helps coach Storm 08 as well as the Carlinville High School Cavaliers during the spring.
