TUSCON, AZ – The USSSA Summer Festival took place on a weekend that many Tucsonan’s would say was the first hot weekend of the year. With temperatures climbing into the low 100’s coaches could be heard yelling “stay hydrated” from every dugout and parents everywhere were clamoring for shade. With teams named the Inferno, the Heat and the Fahrenheit there seemed to be a theme going here. The thirteen teams entered into competition ensured a very cool event no matter how hot it was.

Four teams matched up in the 12 and under division of the tournament and they gave it their all in a series of competitive games. In the first game of the tournament on Saturday, the Desert Thunder narrowly defeated the Marana Storm by the score of 7-6. In the following game Arizona Cats O’Connor beat Desert Thunder 95 by a score of 9-3. The Arizona Cats defeated Desert Wolves in the second round 9-0. As a result Arizona Cats were crowned victorious in the 12 and under bracket.

Being played at the same time was the combined 14 and under and 16 and under tournament bracket.

In the opening round, the 16 and under Tucson Mountain Heat defeated the 16 and under Fahrenheit 14-9 while the 14 and under Desert Thunder team was blanking the 16 and under Sierra Vista Diamonds 12 to nothing. Also in the first round, the 16 and under Inferno narrowly defeated 14 and under Impulse by a score of 3-2. It was obvious that the 14 and under teams were here to try and win the tournament.

In the second round, Tucson Mountain Heat faced a roaring 14 and under Arizona Cats team. The Tucson Mountain Heat went down in flames 17-0. On the other side of the bracket, the 14 and under Desert Thunder blanked the 16 and under Inferno 11-0. It was an all 14 and under final and Desert Thunder came out on top of Arizona Cats 7-3.

In the 18 and under tournament only two teams competed. The Roadrunners defeated the Rebels in four straight games.