The Ohio SWARM is a fastpitch organization with teams made
up of  talented softball players from all over Ohio. Ohio SWARM
teams play an All Qualifier schedule and attend a National
Tournament or Worlds Series event nearly every year.

Our organizational goals remain:
1- prepare our players for their HS & college careers
2- promote our players to college scouts and recruiters.
3- win..... while HAVING FUN !!

The 2009 SWARM 18U squad is nearly complete - players will be announced shortly.  There are several important reminders for new and returning players.

      If you want to play college softball.......

1. Be sure to sign up for the Kent State  Showcase  (Jan  3, 2009)  at:          www.kentstatecamps.com: 

2. Affiliated with these camps is the Queen of Diamonds Showcase North- consider signing up for this at:    http://www.theqsport.com/

3. We strongly suggest that you obtain and refer to the book: "Preparing to Play Softball at the Collegiate Level " at:   http://www.fastpitchrecruiting.com/book.html

New and Returning Players:

Plan on a team meeting Sunday Sept 7th   5 pm   Little Toni's Pizza  Marysville, OH    to discuss Fall 2008 Play, 2009 Tourneys, and to collect 2009 player fees ($150).

Departing 2007 and 2008 Players:

Please have your uniforms ready for return.  A coach will call to set up a time to pick it up - thanks!

The Ohio SWARM 18U girls fastpitch softball team battled lengthy delays and inclement weather last weekend to claim the runner-up spot in the Heart Of Ohio Celebration Softball Tournament 18U division.

Seeing their games cancelled by rain both Friday and Saturday evenings, the SWARM 18U began play Sunday afternoon facing the Heart of Ohio Heartbreakers. Marysville HS junior Lindsey Hershbeger threw a complete game for the SWARM and limited the Heartbreakers to only five hits and three runs in a 6-3 victory. 2008 MHS graduate Casey Clarridge scored two SWARM runs while 2007 MHS grad Kaci Dunn and North Union junior Shanda Ridgeway each added a run. Samantha Wolfe led the SWARM offense with two hits.

Game 2 saw the SWARM charge back from an early 2-0 deficit to claim an 8-2 victory over the Ann Arbor Gold. North Union Grad Ashley Price started the comeback by slamming a  bases loaded 3 run double in the sixth inning. Kaci Dunn added a two run double while Casey Clarridge and Dublin Jerome grad Kirstie Snyder led the SWARM offense with two hits each. MHS junior Chelsea Burns earned a complete game win in the circle holding the Gold to only one earned run while striking out five. The win put the SWARM into the Championship game vs the Central Ohio Lady Rebels.

The Championship game featured an outstanding contest between two excellent 18U teams. Ashley Price took the mound and held the Rebels scoreless through five innings aided by outstanding play from the SWARM defense. In the sixth inning the Rebels put two of their only four hits together back to back to score a single run. In spite of a seventh inning leadoff walk to MHS grad Courtney Williams, the SWARM was unable to score and lost the close fought contest by a score of 1-0. 

The 2^nd place finished earned the SWARM a qualifying slot in the ASA Eastern National Championships in late July.

Ohio SWARM players continue to do VERY well in high school and college:

Ashley Price was named First Team All Ohio, First Team All Central District and 1st Team All MOAC Conference. She pitched a three-hit shutout to lead North Union to a 7-0 win over Batavia in a Division III regional semifinal at Wright State. 

Shanda Ridgeway was named All MOAC Conference for North Union while  Renee Buettner also played for the Lady Cats.

 Marysville HS players Courtney Williams (1st Team All OCC), Casey Clarridge (2nd Team all OCC)  Logan Martindale, Chelsea Burns, Lindsay Hershberger finished the season as OCC Central Div Champs.  Logan and Courtney were among the RBI leaders in Central Ohio while Clarridge blasted two homeruns from her leadoff position.

Kirstie Synder (Jerome) was named 1st Team All OCC and had an outstanding season at SS.  Natalie Zwicker  (Reynoldsburg) was also named 1st Team All OCC and was among the pitching leaders in central Ohio striking out 136 batters thru mid - May.

Kaci Dunn finished her first season for Rio Grande and was selected to the All-Freshman team for the All-American Mideast Conference South Division

 Ashlee Hein finished her freshman regular season for MAC Champion Kent State (40-10) and played in the NCCA Div 1 playoffs at Michigan University. 

Jackie Adams was named Newcomer of the Year for Lincoln Memorial College in 2008 hitting .382 for the season. She led the Railsplitters in triples, stolen bases, and sac bunts and was ranked nationally for Stolen bases and Runs per Game. She was also named All Conference - 2nd Team as an outfielder.

Stephanie Peterson finished up her frosh season with Toledo University. Danielle Larson  received  1st Team All AMC Conference honors batting .392 for Ohio Dominican where Sam Wolfe is also expected to play extensively next season.

Other SWARM players from 2007 receiving awards were Lindsay Pennell, Crista Alvich, and Alex Schuler - All First Team OCC Conference for 2008. Morgan Ryan has received All Conference recognition and is took Triad HS into the State finals.

CONGRADS TO ALL Ohio SWARM Players ! 

Members of the 2008 18U SWARM are:

Renee Buettner                   Chelsea Burns

Casey Clarridge                    Kaci  Dunn

Lacey Elliott                          Ashlee Hein

Lindsay Hershberger         Logan Martindale

Ashley Price                           Shanda Ridgeway

Kirstie Snyder                       Courtney Williams             

Samantha Wolfe                  Natalie Zwicker

Logan Elm Senior and Ohio SWARM player Lacey Elliott signed

a National Letter of Intent to play her collegiate softball for the 

BGSU Falcons on Nov 14th!

Surrounded by school administrators, coaches, and her parents

Terry and Euna Vay Elliott, Lacey inks her NLI to play Division 1

College Softball .     CONGRADS to LACEY!

Members of the 2008 16U team are:

The 18U SWARM finished with a 5-3 record to end up in 4th place out of 42 teams at the ASA Eastern Nationals in York, PA.

They began the tourney losing a close fought game to the Mass Lightning by a score of 6-5, then moved on to defeat the Excalibur - PA 5-0 in the second contest.

The SWARM then won a match-up against the MVSA Stars in the opening game of the double elimination tournament by a 15-0 score. Scores of the other games will be posted soon................... 

The 18U SWARM ended the season with a record of:

          38 wins     -      17 losses. 

                14U SWARM               16U SWARM              18U SWARM
June 8:    Willoughby ASA- 2nd                USFA - 1st                 Willoughby ASA-1st                      
June 14:  GFOD -  1st                  Compuware (0-5)            Compuware (4-3)
June 22:  Reach for the Starz  1st        Fostoria (4-1) 2nd           Sluggerfest  - 3rd
June 29:  H of OH (5-1)  2nd              H of OH  (4-1)                 H of OH (5-1)  2nd  
July 6 :   GAPSS (Powell) 4th         GAPSS  (Powell)           GAPSS (Powell) 4th
July 13:         OFF                          Stingrays - OSU             Stingrays - OSU (7th)
July 21:      Toledo Classic             Cinn WS (3-2) 5th            Final Fling (4-2) 3rd
Augu 4     ASA East Nat                                                               ASA East Nat   (5-3) 4th   

                                                      RECORD 22-14-2            RECORD 38-17-1

                                                       

The Ohio SWARM 18U and 16U teams participated in the demanding

Central Ohio Stingrays Tournament held on the Ohio State University

campus last weekend. Now a major college recruiting tournament, over

100 top notch teams were in attendance, along with more than 50 college

coaches who were actively scouting for players. The 18U team posted a

winning 4-3 record, and tied for seventh place out of 24 teams.

Ohio SWARM Teams Finish Strong at GAPSS

Three local Ohio SWARM fastpitch softball teams finished with a combined
record of 16-6-1 at last weekend’s Great American Premier Softball Showcase
held in Powell, OH. The 14U and 18U teams both finished with 6-2 records taking
4^th place (of 21 teams) in their respective division’s while the 16U squad posted a
4-2-1 record. Next weekend the 16U and 18U will play at the Stingrays Invitational Tournament to be held at Beekman Field on the Ohio State University campus.
The 14U team will take the weekend off.

Ohio SWARM teams combined for a record of 15-3 at the local
Heart of Ohio Summer Celebration Tournament. Each SWARM
team won their pool play bracket and both the 14U and 18U teams
claimed Second Place trophies.

16U Highlights

Game one was a nail biting 3-2 victory over the Miami County Blaze. Renee
Buettner (North Union) provided all the offense the SWARM would need
blasting a two run triple, then scoring on an error to put the SWARM ahead
3-2. Morgan Ryan (Triad) went the distance in the circle striking out six to
claim the win.

Game two saw a 9-1 win over the Marion Merchants. Chelsea Burns (Marysville)
pitched a two hit shutout, striking out seven while Casey Clarridge (Marysville)
slammed a homer and scored twice in the victory.

Game three was a 14-2 win over the Heart of Ohio Heartbeats. Clarridge blasted
a second homerun and the SWARM combined for 17 hits in four innings of offense.

Game four was a 17-0 win over the Dublin Rocks as Clarridge hit her third homerun
in three consecutive games, giving her a total of four the 2007 summer season.

Game five vs the Heart of Ohio Illusion saw the SWARM jump out to a 5-0 lead
in the first inning. Clarridge singled then scored on a hit by Kirstie Snyder (Dublin
Jerome). Shanda Ridgeway (North Union), Brittany Greenbaum (Fairbanks), and
Alex Schueler(Hilliard Davidson) added singles giving the SWARM a seemingly
safe lead, which they held until the final inning. In the final frame a leadoff walk and
several fielding misques allowed the Illusion to claim a come from behind 6-5
victory.  Ridgeway led the SWARM offense going 2 for 3 at the plate while
scoring one run.

As reported by the Dispatch on 5/15/07:
Batting    MINIMUM 57 AT-BATS

NAME                                       H  AB   AVG.
Peterson, DeSales        37 73 .507
Wolfe, Westland          39 68 .441
Adams, DeSales           32 73 .438
Alvich, Dublin Coffman  31 77 .432
Williams, Marysville      33 79 .418
Gentry, Mount Vernon    32 77 .416

Home runs
6: Gentry (Mount Vernon)

3: Hein (Marysville)

Stolen bases
13  Adams  (DeSales)

RBI
26:  Gentry (Mount Vernon)

16     Hein  (Marysviille)

Wins
15: Velt (DeSales)
11: A. Price (North Union)
 7:  Zwicker (Reynoldsburg)

ERA
1.28  Zwicker  (Reynoldsburg) 

1.59  Velt (DeSales)

Strikeouts
133   A. Price (North Union)
102   Velt   (DeSales)
93     Zwicker  (Reynoldsburg)