SALINA, Kan. — The Caney Fusion age 14 and under girls’ softball team returned home from the Kansas Class C State Tournament on July 20 with a fourth-place team trophy.

Caney Fusion finished the state tournament by playing six games in a span of 48 hours. The team opened the tournament with a 10-2 win over the Topeka Lady Hawks followed by a 5-3 victory over the Junction City Shack Attack.

Caney’s first loss of the tournament came in an 8-5 defeat to the Concordia Crushers. It was a game that the Caney Fusion had in the bag, however the local squad gave up a 5-3 lead in the final inning to earn the loss.

The Caney Fusion rebounded by defeating Butler County, 8-2. The local softball team then fell to the Burlington Dominators, 7-1, in the third-fourth place game.

“It was a tough tournament, and we played a lot of ball in a short span of time,” said Tony Crain, among the team coaches. “But, I’m proud of the way we played. The girls played hard throughout the tournament.”

Caney Fusion concluded its 2008 season by playing a total of 53 games and finishing with an above .500 record.

“Our goal was to play 50 games this season,” said Crain. “We played a lot of Oklahoma teams, and they are accustom to playing 100 games in a season. Our intent was to give our girls a lot of experience during the season.”

Team members include  Klarissa Ryan, Abby Wade, Maramae Elliot, Hope Daily, Taylor Crain, Madison Nunneley, Cessalie Wood, Tiffany Ward, Alexis Grant, Kensey Deal, Bethany Barlow, Jessica Dressler, Kacie Larkin.  Coaches are Sam Nunneley, Tony Crain, David Deal and Ken Daily.

Other coaches of the Caney Fusion included David Deal, Sam Nunneley, Scotty Ryan and Ken Daily.