desertwolves

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 13, 2004 Contact: Claren Scott (480) 368-0770 Tom Anderson (480) 661-5583 DESERT WOLVES SOFTBALL TEAM QUALIFIES FOR WORLD SERIES TOURNAMENT SCOTTSDALE – A second place win at the recent 2004 Holiday Fiesta Tournament in Phoenix was enough for the Desert Wolves 14-and-under fast pitch softball team to secure a spot in the USSSA World Series next year. The Desert Wolves, coached by Chuck Kelhoffer and formed just two months ago by local Arcadia, Scottsdale and Gilbert girls, qualified for a spot in the prestigious tournament in Tampa, Florida the last weekend in July, 2005. “Our team is made up of mostly 7th and 8th graders, while the competition fielded several high school players,” said Kelhoffer. He attributed their success in the local tournament to timely pitching, outstanding defense and catching a few breaks. The team started off elimination day facing Sentinel. Arcadia resident and OLPH student Erica Grady pitched, striking out nine batters while the team allowed only two runs. In the second game, with a trip to the World Series on the line, Mesquite Middle School student Kendall Kritzik pitched her first complete game for the Wolves, beating out Arizona Nitro 7 – 6. In the final game, pitcher Brianna Roos, who attends Cocopah Middle School, held the Monsoon to just three earned runs. But, the Wolves fell prey to their opponent’s tough defense and were limited to only three hits. Still, the second place finish in the tournament earned them a place in the World Series. The Wolves will continue to play in more tournaments, which could qualify them for other world championships. Coach Kelhoffer and his assistant coaches Scott Grady, Mike Williams and Bert Roos will decide which competition to enter at a later date. “We still have a lot of softball to play before making a final commitment,” Kelhoffer noted. The team is part of the Desert Wolves Softball Club made up of two 12-and-under teams and two 14-and-under teams. The organization is led by Tom Anderson and Merrick Firestone, who guided a 12U team to last summer’s Triple Crown World Series in Park City, Utah. ### Additional information on the Desert Wolves Softball Club is available at: www.desertwolves.net