Dusters win three

"Sheena Stangler pitched a three-hit shutout and the Diamond Dusters 16-and-under Gold team played errorless defense Sunday as the Dusters beat the Walla Walla Sting 7-0 in the championship game of the Federal Way Invitational tournament at Centennial Park.In all, Diamond Dusters teams brought home three tournament championships from weekend play. The Dusters' 14-and-under team also topped its age-group bracket in the Federal Way tourney, while the Dusters' 14-U Red team captured the title in the International Youth Challenge at Sedro Woolley.It was a good weekend, said Dusters spokesman Dick Thompson, who coached the 16-U Golds to a 3-1-1 record at Federal Way, including three straight wins to clinch the championship. We had good success with several of our teams.Thompson noted that the Dusters' 10-and-under team, coached by Dusty Anchors, finished second in an ASA national qualifying tournament at Beaverton, Ore., its 4-2 tournament record bumping its season mark to 24-6-1.Thompson's 16-U Golds ran their record to 24-4-2 with their weekend's work, which began modestly at best with a tie and a loss. Both those nicks later were avenged, however, including their 3-2 loss to Walla Walla.In the title game, the Dusters pounded out a tournament-best 10 hits, two apiece from Lauren Haas (including a double), Tiffany Meyers, Ashley Stice and Nicole Strickland.Haas finished the weekend as the Dusters' offensive leader with a .385 batting average. She also pitched their first win Saturday, but didn't take the mound Sunday because of an injury. Stangler won both the Sunday games - both three-hit shutouts.In the 14-and-under bracket at Federal Way, the Dusters won all five of their games, giving up only three hits and two runs in the entire tournament.Tiffany McDonald hurled two no-hitters and Jill Bruins had a third during the Dusters' 5-0 run. McDonald fashioned a two-hitter in the championship game, a 5-1 victory over Sudden Impact. Lisa Hill had a one-hitter in the other victory, a 13-1 decision that was called because of the time limit after just three innings.McDonald, Emily Zygmontowicz and Stephanie Mott all compiled .500 batting averages for the weekend for coach Paula Grande, with Bruins adding a .385. The Dusters 14s came out of the tournament with a 13-5 season record.In Sedro Woolley, the Diamond Dusters 14-and-under Red team won its fourth tournament title of the spring, winning five games en route to the title of the 12-team International Youth Challenge.Susan Cooper won her second game of the tournament with a two-hit shutout in the final, a 1-0 victory over the Snohomish Sidewinders. Cooper also had a two-hitter in an earlier 3-2 win over Surrey (B.C.) Storm.Krista Colburn pitched two of the wins, including a one-hitter in the Dusters' 4-0 triumph over Burnaby (B.C.). Heather Case, who also led the way offensively with a 7-for-14 batting performance, picked up the other pitching win.The Dusters 14-U Reds, coached by Bruce Welling, pumped their season record up to 26-7 with their 5-0 tournament showing."

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