Only a short five days ago, we were in Northern California celebrating the arrival of the New Year - 2007. Now we were in a Palm Springs hotel room over 500 miles from where we spent last weekend, sight of the first 2007 tournament for the California Crushers Girl's Fast Pitch softball team. The Triple Crown New Year's Desert Classic tournament is a qualifier for the national championship; teams that make it to the semi finals get an automatic berth.

During the Amateur Softball Association winter ball tournament, the Crushers played in the 16 and under division. For the Triple Crown, however, the coaches decided to try moving up to the 18 and under division. On the surface it would seem the age difference was not an issue. Well, there was one small detail the coaches failed to tell their pitchers - the distance from the mound to the plate was three three feet longer.

The Crushers gathered at the softball fields at 7 a.m. so they could warm up their throwing arms and stretch muscles softened by the recent holiday break. In game one, the Crushers were scheduled to face Dynasty Gold, of Yucaipa, a top 100, nationally ranked softball team. Jenna Martin, of the Crushers, took to the mound at the top of the first inning and faced the first seven batters in the Dynasty line up. Before she could record three outs the scorecard read: single (stolen base, stolen base), walk, triple, single, single, strike out, and a put out to first base. At the bottom half of the first inning, the Crushers were already behind, 3 - 0. The Crushers sent four batters to the plate but did not score in their half of the inning.

Fans will often wonder how many runs the opposing team will be allowed to score before a coach will pull out the pitcher who is getting hit. Such was the case with the Crushers. As they started the second inning, the first batter reached on a single, followed by walks for the next two batters. With bases loaded, Martin struck out the fourth batter (one out). A run was scored when a pitch hit the next batter. A single, pass ball, double, single and throwing error resulted in six runs for Dynasty. By the bottom of the second inning, the Crushers were in deep trouble: 9 - 0. The only game highlight for the Crushers came from Roxy Halebian, who walked to start off a possible rally. Brianna Zubia hit a towering triple to left field, scoring Halebian. After only two innings of play, the Crushers were still behind 9 - 1.

Dynasty came to bat at the top of the third (and final) inning, scoring four more runs. The tale of the tape, in this case the extra three feet of pitching distance, seemed to be the difference in the game for the Crushers. There were pitches that rose early, dropped in front of the plate, or curved too early. There would be no fourth inning as the game was called under the mercy rule.

After a brief rest, the Crushers found themselves up against Commotion, of Temple City, in game two, with Jenna Martin on the mound. Commotion batted first, sending five players to the plate without scoring a run. At the bottom of the inning, the Crushers seemed to be stuck in the previous game as the first two batters flew out. Cassie Colón stepped up in the batter's box and on the first pitch smacked the ball deep into left field, touching all four bases for the home run. Both teams settled down as the defenses refused to allow another run to score. After five innings, time was called and the Crushers beat Commotion, 1 - 0.

With a record of 1 - 1, a more confident Crushers' team took to the field in game three to face the So Cal Aftershock, of Claremont. The confidence was quickly eroded as Aftershock sent eight batters to the plate and came away with three runs. In the bottom half of the first inning, the Crushers went down in order - three straight strikeouts. The Aftershock saw an opening as Jenna Martin, pitching her third game of the day, was running out of steam. Eleven batters took their turn at the plate as Aftershock scored eight runs. The Crushers' half of the inning was a repeat of the first - three strikeouts. Somehow the Crushers were able to hold off the Aftershock during the top of the third inning. Behind 11 - 0, the Crushers' needed a miracle to overcome the pounding of Aftershock. However, once again three batters went down in order to end the game under the mercy rule.

Day one of the tournament found the Crushers at the bottom of their pool with a record of 1 - 2 - losses by mercy. Their record put them in a game against the California Aftershock, of Northridge, who had finished last in their pool play with a record of, 0 - 3.

The two teams were not strangers to each other as several of the players are on the same high school team. This win-or-lose game was a battle from the first inning with Aftershock sending five batters to the plate and scoring two runs.

The Crushers followed suit, sending five players to the plate and scoring two runs. Aftershock had five batters in the top half of the second inning but could not score a run. The bottom proved more productive for the Crushers as they sent seven batters to the plate, scoring three runs. At the top of the third inning, the Crushers led Aftershock, 5 - 2.

The third and fourth innings were scoreless for both teams. At the top of the fifth inning, Aftershock sent tremors through the Crushers as they hit back-to-back doubles. Jenna Martin, pitching her fourth game in two days, walked the next two batters. The fifth batter of the inning sacrificed to center field, then Martin walked her third batter of the inning.

The Aftershocks sent a total of eight batters to the plate, scoring three runs. In the bottom half of the inning, the Crushers saw five of their batters go scoreless. After five innings, Aftershock had tied the game 5 - 5. With time expired, the teams went to the first inning of an international tiebreaker. Each team would start their half of the inning with a runner on second base.

The sixth and seventh inning, played under international rules, failed to produce a winner. Both teams entered the eighth inning (third inning of overtime) still tied at five runs each. Aftershock seemed to find a hidden strength, as nine batters were able to push across four runs. After almost two hours of play, the Crushers needed four runs to tie and five runs to win the game. Seven batters gave it their best shot but ended up scoring only one run. After playing four games in two days, the California Crushers fell to the California Aftershock (9 - 6) and headed home.