All week long, girls from far and wide converged on Rock Hill, bats in hand, ready for a chance to take their swings for a chance at glory.
When all was said and done, it came down to a handful of teams and the desire of whichever club wanted to win it more.
The Team of the Tournament
The 16U Mattoon Pride didn't make it easy on themselves.
They battled their way out of the loser's bracket, defeated in-state rival the Schaumburg Sluggers twice in a row, and banded together following the scariest incident of the week-long tournament.
And now, for the first time in their decorated history, the Mattoon Pride can call themselves the NSA World Series Champions.
"We've had four second place national finishes, and several third and fourth place finishes as well," coach Wayne Bradley said. "We've been knocking on the door for a long time, and today we finally broke through the ice. We finally did it."
Anchored by smart, opportunistic base running, crisp hitting and reliable pitching, the Mattoon Pride defeated the Sluggers 8-1 in the championship game mere minutes after besting the same team 3-1 in an intense, 8 inning showdown.
But it was during this game that a foul-ball collision between catcher Hannah Cole and pitcher Kasey Starwalt sent the rowdy opposing crowds into a hushed, frightened silence.
"We were both going for the same foul ball, and Kasey, in the heat of the moment, dove face first towards the ball," Cole said. "Her head and neck area crashed into my shin guard. I could feel the impact, and I knew immediately that she was hurt."
Starwalt, who at that point had stymied the Sluggers to just one run, laid motionless on the ground for several minutes. EMTs raced to her side, moving her extremities and preparing for a worst case scenario. Fortunately, and after what seemed like an eternity, Starwalt began to show movement, and was subsequently wheeled off on a stretcher to a nearby hospital.
But rather than letting their worry for a fallen teammate disrupt the momentum they had built over a tireless two day stretch, the Pride used it as a rallying point.
"The team came together when Kasey went down," shortstop Maura Cummins said. "We've been battling back from being one or two runs down all week, and this was one more time where we had to buckle down and fight."
"We're bringing the gold home for you Kasey," added infielder Melanie Sparks after a picture message sent in between games from the hospital showed Starwalt sitting up wearing a neck brace.
Starwalt suffered a strained neck and should recover in a few days, to the relief of both teams involved.
As for the Pride, they never looked back, belting two runs in the 7th inning to earn the right to play in the championship. And the rout was on from there.
Developing a steel resolve over the course of the five day tournament, the Mattoon Pride have now established themselves as one of the elite programs in the country.
Strictly Business
Many of the teams participating in the final day of the NSA World Series are spending the rest of the day in Rock Hill before making the journey back to their hometowns. But for the 14U Missouri Prospects, who won their championship game decisively against the Virginia Legends 6-0, their trek begins immediately upon receiving their trophies.
After all, they have another tournament in which to compete.
"We are going to try to make it to Tennessee by tonight, but we really have no time to spare," assistant coach Greg Hunt said. "We have to make it to Moline, Illinois, for the ASAUSA softball tournament and still have some time left to practice."
Perhaps the most accomplished team in the entire tournament, the Prospects have established a top-tier pedigree that accepts nothing less than total domination. Aside from winning the 2010 14U NSA World Series, they also competed in and won the Best of the Midwest softball tournament in the same calendar year.
That tournament, with the exception of the Prospects, was comprised of entirely 18U teams.
