麻豆社区

The biggest weekend on the Yukon softball calendar wrapped up yesterday with a number of thrilling championship finals.

Despite overcast skies and a light rain, fans packed the bleachers to watch teams battle for their respective Dustball crowns.

The Men's A final pitted the P&M Recycling Guns 鈥� a Yukon team seeking its fifth straight title 鈥� against Chico's Bail Bonds, a club based out of Skagway, Alaska.

The game featured plenty of great at-bats from both sides and saw the Guns claw back from a series of deficits. It took an extra inning to decide, but the Alaskans eventually came out on top 24-20.

Tied 19-19, Guns appeared to have the game in their hands in the bottom of the seventh with the bases full and slugger Don Trout at the plate.

But Trout grounded into an inning-ending double play, giving the Alaskan squad a chance in extras.

Chico's Bail Bonds would make most of their fresh opportunity, scoring five runs in the top of the eighth.

The Guns would score just once in the bottom of the inning, after an Alaskan outfielder appeared to celebrate the third out early, before dropping a routine fly ball in right.

He wouldn't make the same mistake on the next play however, when Rob LaRose flied out.

The victory was an emotional one for the Skagwegians.

"I was crying before the last out,鈥� said Chico's centre fielder Nate Jennings, who celebrated his 32nd birthday with the Dustball championship.

"We conquered Goliath. This means the world. Skagway's never won it, so to be a part of this and do it for the people that grew up there ... it's huge.

"We're not a home run-hitting team; we're known for our hits and speed 鈥� playing smart,鈥濃�圝ennings said. "We were just smart enough.鈥�

The team lost their first matchup with the Guns by a score of 17-12.

Guns first baseman Mike Tuton said his team gave it their all.

"If you would have come into the dugout in the middle of the game there, you'd see guys with cracked ribs who could barely sit on the bench, two bad backs, and a shortstop with a broken finger,鈥� he said. "But nobody complained. We just picked the wrong time to lose our first game.

"Nobody likes losing, but at least we didn't beat ourselves up. We lost to a team that was hitting the ball.鈥�

The Whitehorse-based Black Sox finished third overall.

International team claims Women's A crown

The second meeting between Pitches Be Crazy and the Fountain Tire Mudders was much closer, but ultimately ended the same way.

Pitches Be Crazy, a team made up of Whitehorse and Alaska players, rolled to a 9-6 win to claim their first Dustball championship Sunday.

On Friday, Pitches Be Crazy beat the Mudders by a mercy score.

Pitches Be Crazy's Alaskan duo in the middle infield 鈥� shortstop Brittany Fenumiai and second baseman Katie Damian 鈥� starred on offence and defence throughout the four-day tournament, leading the team to victory.

Pitches Be Crazy organizer Janine Peters said the team was a "hodgepodge鈥� of players who quickly clicked as a team.

"A lot of us are already friends in Whitehorse and have made friends with the American girls in the past,鈥� she said.

"We've played together at some point or another.鈥�

The win was a long time coming, Peters admitted.

"Gosh, I think I鈥坈an retire now,鈥� she chuckled. "I've come really close over 20 years, but this is the first time that I've ever got it. It's a great feeling; it's a really, really great feeling.鈥�

Last year's champions, the P&M鈥圧ecycled Sistas, finished third, failing to win their sixth straight title.

Walk-off double gives Crew Co-ed A win

Down 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh, James Semaschuk hit a game-winning two-run double off the right field wall to give Dave's Cleaning Crew an 8-7 victory in the co-ed A final Sunday morning.

The clutch hit gave the Whitehorse team a walk-off win over Devil's Hideaway, a club from Juneau, Alaska.

Semaschuk is no stranger to game-winning hits. The Yukoner played four years of university ball in Kamloops before returning to the Yukon full-time last year.

Devil's Hideaway relief pitcher A.J.鈥圴otion gave up the game-winning double to Semaschuk.

"It was really hard,鈥� he said of the loss. "What sort of screwed us up is we had conflict with the Men's B final. We had four guys that are on the championship men's team and it started before our game finished. I was cold turkey coming off the bench.

"We came in with high hopes and played pretty confidently,鈥濃�圴otion said of his club.

"Our girls are very valuable, and in co-ed, you're only as good as your girls are. Having really dominant girls ... we knew we had a really good chance going into this tournament.鈥�

Votion said he hopes to see mutual support from Whitehorse teams for upcoming Juneau tournaments this summer 鈥� including Rainball.

Ryder Construction, also of Juneau, finished third in the division.

鈥撯赌撯赌�

This year's Dustball tournament featured 58 teams in nine divisions, down slightly from last year's 62.

Both the Yukon and Alaska were represented on the diamonds.

"Considering we had to move it up from July, that's really good,鈥� tournament director George Arcand told the Star. "The teams are having fun, despite the weather.鈥�

The tournament has been a constant on the Softball Yukon calendar for three decades.

Winning teams received plaques and slo-pitch national gear.

Final standings from all other Dustball divisions are as follows:

Men's B

1. Rounders (Juneau)

2. Dawson City Dingbats (Dawson)

3. Dave's Cleaning (Whitehorse)

Men's C

1. 93 Crushers (Whitehorse)

2. Super Mega Energy (Whitehorse)

3. Selkirk Blazers (Pelly Crossing)

Women's B

1. Nuway Ball Crushers (Whitehorse)

2. Hit N Missus (Whitehorse)

3. Boston Pizza (Whitehorse)

Co-ed B

1. Valley Liquor (Juneau)

2. Sandors Sluggers (Whitehorse)

3. Glacier Drilling (Whitehorse)

Co-ed C

1. Hawks (Whitehorse)

2. Castle Rock Bears (Whitehorse)

3. Yukon Brewing Growlers (Whitehorse)

Co-ed D

1. Maggie May Bears (Whitehorse)

2. FHP鈥圔allwhackers (Whitehorse)

3. Sam N Andy's (Whitehorse)