The Tracy Express 8-and-under All Stars have been making the rounds of Northern California fastpitch tournaments this summer, most recently finishing in second place at the Blast By the Bay Tournament in Santa Cruz, Saturday, July 7 and Sunday July 8.

Coach Casey Barberis said that the team, which formed the new competitive team at the conclusion of the Tracy Express recreational spring softball season, quickly adapted to tournament play against teams that play year-round.

The Blast by the Bay on Saturday and Sunday, July 7 and 8, was the All Stars’ third tournament and the team went 2-1-1 to finish second out of eight teams. Tracy Express started with a 0-0 tie with Livermore Smoke and then beat the Cabrillo Crushers 4-0 on Saturday, and again beat the Crushers 6-0 on Sunday to make it to Sunday’s championship game against the Almaden Lightning, which beat Tracy Express 1-0.

“We played a team that has been together for a few years and has a lot of trophies at home to show their success,” said team member Mackenzie Barberis. “Although the outcome did not fall our way I am proud of the way the girls played, cheered, and competed at a high level.”

The girls previously competed at the 8U Firecracker Tournament, June 30 and July 1 in Benicia, where the team went 5-1 and placed third out of 15 teams. Tracy Express won five games in a row, including an 11-0 win over the Benicia Outlaws, an 8-7 win over Havoc, a 13-2 win over Petaluma Steal Breeze, a 7-0 win over the Rohnert Park Rebels and a 3-1 win over Alameda Blaze, and then a 5-1 loss to the Pleasant Hill Panthers.

The 8U All Stars’ first event was the Del Holson Tournament, June 16 and 17 in Benicia, where Tracy Express placed seventh out of eight teams, including a 0-0 tie with the Campbell Crush, and 2-1 loss to the Pleasant Hill Panthers, a 5-0 loss to the Livermore Smoke, and a 1-0 loss to the Livermore Smoke.

Tracy Express players include Barberis, Annaliese Anaya-Morford, Sophia Alejandre, Danica Larwill, Danielle Corell, Janelle Bergmann, Ariana Retuta, Emily Cabral, Katelyn Bridgeman, Makayla Cordeiro, Julia Yanke, Alexis Melo, Kaela Jones and Alaina Pelican. Coaches also include Scott Morford and Jamie Bridgeman.