The Harleysville Thunderbirds Black 14-and-under fastpitch softball team went 7-2-1 and finished in third place out of 86 teams at the PONY Eastern Nationals in Cary, N.C.

Pictured front row (from left): Becca Shanks, Dayna Shelly, Emily Allen, Bekah Slattery, Jenna Gibbons, Kacy Carroll. Middle row: Savannah Toth, Erelle Sowers, Bridget Casey, Paige Shelly, Nicole Yanni, Morgan Yoder, Amanda Loar. Back row: Coach Ken Shanks, coach Ed Sowers, coach Don Shelly. Not pictured: Heather Milligan.

In the Championship Round, Harleysville held off a last-inning rally by VA Edge to claim a 6-5 quarterfinal victory. The Thunderbirds put runnners on base in their semifinal matchup with W Pine Diamond Dusters, but could not find the bi hit and fell 4-1.

Earlier in the tournament, Harleysville earned a win, loss and tie in pool play, then opened bracket play with a 11-4 victory as it went 5-0 with three shutouts.

Bekah Slattery carried the bulk of the pitching duties, the lefthander throwing the last five games and collecting two shutouts. Emily Allen’s superb defensive efforts at second base prevented a few potential rallies from opponents. Center fielder Jenna Gibbons delivered crucial RBI singles on three occasions in tight games. The long ball off the bat of Kacy Carroll helped bury opponents in three contests. The Thunderbirds thank all who supported our team throughout this fantastic season.