NATIONAL QUALIFIER
The Amherst Lightning Gold 18U Girls Fastpitch Softball Team won the 11th annual Lancaster/Depew PONY National Qualifier last weekend. The team, which in 2006 finished 60-8 and won the PONY 16U National Championship, had a 24-game win streak snapped by the Mississauga Tigers, 2-1, in their third Saturday pool play game. On Sunday, the third-seeded Lightning defeated the WNY Sting, 3-0, and beat the second-seed from Kitchener, Ont., 6-5, in the semifinals, setting up a rematch in the finals against the Tigers. After falling behind 1-0 and 2-1, the Lightning scored four runs in the fifth and hung on for a 5-4 victory. Members of the team, pictured from left, are: bottom row - Sam Rajski, Becca Zimmerman, Kate Mankowski (Orchard Park), Shannon Wilson, Cassie Stone, Lauren O'Brien (Amherst); top row - coach Steve Ulmer, Kerry Ulmer (Amherst), Kyrstin Lekki, Kaylee Lekki, Katie Lancellotti (Clarence), Holly Johnson (Amherst) and coach Harry Martzolf; missing from photo - Anna Glomb.