For the City Times

The Plover 12U Nationals Fastpitch team recently won the 2016 National Champions in the ASA Class B Northern Nationals Tournament in Pekin, Ill.

In pool play they defeated Pekin Blue 14-0 and Midwest Menace 2-1, then won their first two bracket games, beating Elkhorn Express 12-5 and Wheatland Spikes 6-0.

The team would lose the next game to the LGSA Jets 1-3 forcing them into the losers bracket.

The girls would begin their hard fought battle by beating Southern Heat on Saturday evening by 5-1.

Sunday included four hard fought wins to Pekin Blue 11-2, Total Contact 3-2, Chaos 10-7 and LGSA Jets 10-9, advancing them into the championship game.

Due to a double elimination bracket, they would have to beat undefeated East Peoria Express twice to become the national champions. The first game ended with a 6-2 win and the second ended by a 12-4 run rule.

The Plover 12’s ended their season with a respectable 40-5-1 record.

Plover 12’s roster includes #2 MaKenna Guden; #3 Maddy Miklesh; #7 Hilirie McLaughlin; #8 Sami Huebner; #10 Kasie Joseph; #13 Ireland Grenlie; #16 Sami Miller; #19 Jaelyn Slowinski; #20 Tia Livernash; #22 Grace Repinski; #65 Briar Armatowski. The team is coached by Bob Miklesh and Todd Huebner.