Through three stops, the Bay Area Amateur Tour has produced three different first, second and third place finishers, leaving Kelly Cavanaugh and Sabra MacArthur Beahn tied at the top of the tour standings. Leslee Davis Blaikie became the third 2011 BAAT winner on Saturday, March 19th, going undefeated in the $300-added event, which had drawn 15 entrants to Capone's in Spring Hill, FL.
Davis Blaikie prevailed in three straight double hill matches to win the event. She sent Jessica Barnes west from among the winners' side final four 6-4 (Barnes needing to reach 5) and met Chris Fields in the battle for the hot seat. Fields had just sent Shannon Jones to the one-loss side in a double hill battle, as well. Davis Blaikie prevailed to gain the hot seat in another 6-4 victory, in which Fields had to reach 5.
Over on the one-loss side, Sabra MacArthur Beahn, who'd won the opening stop on the tour, was at work on a streak of victories (four) that would propel her into the quarterfinals. So was Kelly Cavanaugh. Both had been moved to the one-loss side in the opening round of play. MacArthur Beahn had been sent west by Blaikie, in spite of being up 4-1 in that match. She went on to win two straight double hill matches versus Frieda Walker and Connie Mago, for the right to face Barnes. Cavanaugh was moved over by Shannon Jones in the opening round, and after victories over Linda Jones, 6-2, and Stephanie Mitchell, 5-4, drew a rematch versus Shannon.
Cavanaugh gave up only a single game in her rematch versus Jones and moved into the quarterfinals against MacArthur Beahn, who'd defeated Barnes 5-3. Cavanaugh ended MacArthur Beahn's streak 5-2, and moved on to defeat Fields 5-3 (Fields needing to reach 6) in the semifinals.
Win or lose, Cavanaugh was going to retain her top slot in the standings, though an event victory would have left her in sole possession of first place. Win or lose, Davis Blaikie was going to move from a spot below the top ten, to among the top four. They battled to double hill before it was decided. With Cavanaugh needing to reach 5, Davis Blaikie prevailed 7-4. Cavanaugh remained at the top of the standings, sharing the slot with MacArthur Beahn, while Davis Blaikie moved into fourth place.
