Central Illinois Diamondstorm conclude magical season with trip to NSA Eastern World Series

Rogers and Laubenstein of Lincoln part of this year's roster

[August 23, 2012]  The Central Illinois Diamondstorm concluded a magical season on July 27 with an unbelievable journey to the 2012 National Softball Association Class A Eastern World Series in South Carolina. The Diamondstorm and four other teams from Illinois were sent to Spartanburg, S.C., to represent Illinois in one of the most prestigious tournaments in the country. State champions from all over the Midwest went to the East Coast and competed in the five-day affair.

The NSA breaks the United States into two regions, the East and the West. Illinois softball was very strong at the world championships, but the local team, the Central Illinois Diamondstorm, was the last Illinois team standing, finishing with a remarkable third-place finish.

The Diamondstorm went 9-2 at the World Series, with their only two losses coming to the same team, the Finesse Black from Michigan.

The Diamondstorm, which consists of local athletes and coaches, finished the season with eight tournament wins, four second-place finishes and a remarkable 113-28 record on the season. The Diamondstorm were also the No. 1-ranked team in Illinois by Amateur Softball Association Class A points standings and finished second in Illinois Class A National Softball Association state championships, behind Premier Fastpitch from Mattoon.

The Diamondstorm, a 14-and-under team, also won two 16-and-under tournaments, in Macomb and in Jacksonville.

Team members are Mackenzie Flowers and Peyton Bonds from Griggsville-Perry, Emily Kitchell and Vanessa Markert from Mount Sterling, Kalliegh Rogers and Lanae Laubenstein from Lincoln, Kirsten Kent and Jaycee Craver from Tremont, Elexis Swartzentruber and Sydney Hollings from Bloomington, Alexis Moore from Winchester, Delissa Dennison from New Douglas, and Ashley Schneider from Nokomis.

Coaches are Jamie Flowers from Perry, Lyle Dennison from New Douglas and B.J. Craver from Tremont.

[Text from file received from Tracy Flowers]