Sweet Thunder 12U Finishes 3-3 at Dodge City Tournament

The Colby Sweet Thunder 12U softball team battled through six games during a two-day tournament in Dodge City on June 13-14, finishing with a 3-3 record while showcasing a balanced offense and strong pitching performances.

After opening the tournament with a loss to Venom, Sweet Thunder quickly responded with an 11-3 victory over the Jays. Baylor McLemore led the way both in the circle and at the plate, pitching four innings while allowing just three runs. She also collected two doubles and three RBIs. Laikynn Maupin, Aspen Lindberg, Opea Koerperich, Madi Wolf, and Norah Boller each contributed offensively as Colby erased an early deficit and pulled away.

Sweet Thunder dropped its final game Saturday against Kansas Heat but returned Sunday ready to compete.

In a rematch with the Jays, Colby earned a 12-4 victory behind another outstanding performance from McLemore. The right-hander tossed a complete game, allowing four runs while striking out seven. At the plate, Koerperich went 2-for-2 with two doubles and two RBIs, while Maupin added two hits and two RBIs. Brixlyn Bugbee recorded two hits and scored twice as Sweet Thunder steadily built a lead before erupting for five runs in the fifth inning.

The tournament's biggest offensive outburst came in a 16-5 win over the Lady Legends. After falling behind 4-0 in the opening inning, Sweet Thunder answered immediately with seven runs and never looked back.

Colby pounded out 14 hits in the victory. Koerperich finished with two hits, four RBIs, and two runs scored while also earning the win in the circle with five strikeouts. Hadley Surmeier added two hits and two RBIs, Bugbee drove in three runs, and McLemore collected two hits and two RBIs. Boller added two RBIs, while Brooklyn Hills, Wolf, Lindberg, and Raelyn Paulson also contributed hits.

The team's final match was a hard-fought 3-0 game against Kansas Heat to close the weekend. McLemore kept Sweet Thunder within striking distance throughout that contest, allowing just three runs while striking out five batters over 5.2 innings.

Several players drew praise for their efforts throughout the weekend. McLemore earned two victories in the circle and was a consistent offensive threat, while Surmeier made several standout defensive plays in the infield. Wolf provided steady defense at first base, and Hills consistently sparked the offense from the top of the lineup.

Weekend Composite Statistics

• Baylor McLemore — 7 hits, 10 RBIs; 14.2 IP, 13 strikeouts
• Opea Koerperich — 7 hits, 8 RBIs; 7.0 IP, 9 strikeouts
• Hadley Surmeier — 5 hits, 7 RBIs
• Laikynn Maupin — 3 hits, 5 RBIs
• Brixlyn Bugbee — 5 hits, 4 RBIs, 5 runs
• Norah Boller — 3 hits, 4 RBIs
• Madi Wolf — 5 hits, 3 RBIs
• Aspen Lindberg — 4 hits, 2 RBIs
• Rylee Dhabalt — 2 hits, 2 RBIs
• Raelyn Paulson — 1 hit, 2 RBIs
• Brooklyn Hills — 4 hits, 6 runs
• Berkley Brzon — 4 runs, 1 RBI

The 3-3 finish highlighted the growth of the Sweet Thunder squad, which bounced back from early setbacks and finished the weekend with three convincing victories against tournament competition.