Sweet Thunder 10U Earns Two Wins at Dodge City Tournament

The Sweet Thunder 10U softball team traveled to Dodge City on June 13-14 and came away with a pair of victories while competing against several talented teams throughout the weekend. The Thunder finished the tournament with a 2-3 record, highlighted by wins over Venom Black Peters and Kansas Heat.

After opening the tournament with a loss to Quicksilver Steffan, Sweet Thunder quickly bounced back with an exciting 12-9 victory over Venom Black Peters.

Kalea Fisher paced the offense with three hits, two runs scored, and an RBI. Blakely Moss added a hit, two runs, and an RBI, while Adylyn Stoll scored three runs and collected a hit. Paxton Murphy finished with a hit and two RBIs as the Thunder erased an early deficit and used a five-run third inning to take control. Levyn McKee earned the win in the circle, striking out nine batters over four innings while allowing nine runs on nine hits.

Sweet Thunder's second victory came Sunday against Kansas Heat in a thrilling 5-4 contest.

The Thunder grabbed an early lead when Moss drove in Dawsyn Smith with an RBI single in the first inning. Fisher provided the biggest offensive spark of the game, tripling in the third inning before later blasting a two-run home run in the fourth. Fisher finished with two hits, two runs, and two RBIs, while Stoll added two hits and an RBI. Moss contributed a hit and RBI, and McKee collected two hits and scored a run. In the circle, McKee was dominant, allowing just two hits while striking out nine batters across five innings. According to team notes, Fisher also added another deep triple during the tournament weekend.

Sweet Thunder's three losses came against Quicksilver Steffan and two additional matchups with Venom Black Peters. Despite the setbacks, the Thunder continued to compete against quality opposition. McKee struck out 11 batters in a six-inning effort against Venom while allowing eight runs, and she added another strong outing in the tournament finale, recording five strikeouts over five innings. Offensively, Dawsyn Smith, Moss, Fisher, and McKee all collected hits during the team's losses, while McKee scored both Sweet Thunder runs in the final game of the tournament.

By tournament's end, Sweet Thunder showcased its growth through strong pitching, timely hitting, and resilient play. Fisher's power at the plate, including an inside-the-park home run and multiple extra-base hits, combined with McKee's 34 strikeouts over four appearances in Dodge City, helped the Thunder earn two hard-fought victories and valuable experience against some of the region's top travel teams.