Terri Cockrell, Vanessa Seaver, Tour Director Stephanie Mitchell, and Lisa McElroy
Lisa McElroy finished the 2012 Bay Area Amateur Tour season by going undefeated on the tour's final stop, possibly for some time to come. The event victory elevated McElroy from third place to first in the tour standings as the season came to a close. The $790-added event drew 16 entrants to Capone's in Spring Hill, FL on Saturday, October 20. Tour director Stephanie Mitchell has announced that this stop would be "the last BAAT Tournament played under the current administration.
"There has been some interest expressed in (someone) taking over the tour," she said, "and hopefully, the deal will be sealed soon."
In this final stop, the top three finishers recorded their best-ever performances on the tour. McElroy won her first, while second-place finisher Vanessa Seaver, and third-place finisher Terri Cockrell chalked up their furthest advancement. All three were among the winners' side final four, with Seaver facing Cockrell, and McElroy squaring off against Echo Pinkley. McElroy advanced to the hot seat match with a 5-2 victory over Pinkley, and was met by Seaver, who'd sent Cockrell west by the same score. In a straight-up race to 5, McElroy sent Seaver to the semifinals 5-1 and waited for her to get back.
On the loss side, Cockrell met up with TD Mitchell, whom she'd sent west in the opening round of play 4-1. Mitchell had come back through Barbara Ellis 8-1 and survived a double hill match against Lori Bryant to earn the re-match. Pinkley, in the meantime, drew Jessica Barnes, who'd defeated Sabra MacArthur Beahn 4-2 and shut out Lana Loomis. Cockrell downed Mitchell a second time 3-2 (Mitchell racing to 6), as Barnes eliminated Pinkley 6-2.
It was Cockrell emerging from the quarterfinal match that followed; 3-1, with Barnes racing to 6. Seaver, though, who'd sent Cockrell west in the third round, stopped Cockrell's bid cold in the semifinals, by defeating her a second time; shutting her out for a second chance against McElroy. In a straight up race to five, though, McElroy prevailed in a double hill final to win her first BAAT title and the number one spot on the tour's year-end rankings.
