The Lawrence Phenix 12-U softball team placed second in the American Softball Assn. Mid America Region 12 tournament, held July 9-12 in Topeka.

The team played nine games during the tournament, beating three state championship teams along the way.

“They played together as a group and executed the basics of the game very well,” Phenix coach Bill Finucane said. “Even though we came up a bit short in this tournament, we never gave up and played each game to the best of our ability.”

The Phenix began their run with a 12-4 victory Friday night against the Lee’s Summit (Mo.) Sting from. Bailey Scott went 3-3 for the Phenix.

The Phenix were victorious again on Saturday morning, winning 10-5 against the Elkhorn (Neb.) Fire. Scott went 3-4, Haley Finucane was 2-4 and Kacie Welborn had three hits and two runs to lead the offense.

The Phenix’s next opponent Saturday was the South Metro Maniax from Omaha, Neb. The Phenix pulled out an 8-5 extra-inning victory against the Nebraska metro state champions.

The game was not without nervous moments for the Phenix. In the bottom of the eighth inning, a Maniax batter hit a single with the go-ahead run on third base. Left fielder Olivia Johnson threw a relay to third baseman Lexi Smith, who fired to catcher Welborn. Welborn tagged out the base runner at home for the third out.

The Phenix suffered their first loss of the tournament, 12-9, Saturday night against the Marysville Magic. Maddie Wilson had two hits and scored two runs in the loss.

On Sunday, the final day of the tournament, the Phenix won their first two games, beating the Derby Wizards, 4-0, and the Diamonds from Fremont, Neb., 4-3.

12-U Phenix player Bailey Scott swings at a pitch during the first game of a doubleheader against the Platte County Diamonds July 8 at the Field of Dreams complex in Basehor.

That set up a rematch with the Magic. This time, the Phenix came away with an 8-6 win to put them into the championship matchup with the Missouri state champion Tipton Tigers. Allison Ice went 3-3 and Alex Zordel had two hits and one run in the victory over the Magic.

Because the Tigers hadn’t lost in the double-elimination tournament, the Phenix were faced with the task of beating them in both games of a doubleheader in order to win the tournament.

They won the first game, 5-4, behind good hitting efforts by Scott and Lexi Smith.

But the Tigers edged outthe Phenix, 4-3, in the second game to take the title despite the strong pitching performance of Anna Mages.

Coach Finucane, who singled out the strong pitching by Zordel and the catching of Welborn throughout the weekend, was proud of the his team’s effort against the high level of competition.

“We were able to defeat three state champions during this tournament and that doesn’t happen very often,” he said.