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The Fountain Tire Mudders swept away the Nuway Ball Crushers in two games, earning the Yukon women鈥檚 national slo-pitch berth for 2015.

With just two teams registered for the women鈥檚 playdowns, the Mudders made quick work of the Crushers, beating them 28-13 Friday night, then 24-4 Saturday afternoon.

Fountain Tire scored six runs in the top of the first inning during the second game of the best-of-three series at the Pepsi Softball Centre, then held Nuway off the scoresheet until the third inning.

After plating six more runs in the third, the Mudders sent 12 runners around the bases in the top of the fifth inning, pushing their lead to 20 runs.

They would hold the Crushers off the scoresheet in the bottom of the inning to earn victory via the fifth-inning 15-run mercy rule.

The series sweep means Fountain Tire will be heading to the 2015 Senior Women鈥檚 Canadian Slo-Pitch Championship Aug. 11 to 15 in Dorchester, Ont.

鈥淭his is a once-in-a-lifetime thing,鈥� said Mudders coach Roni-Sue Steinhagen, whose last national experience came 15 years ago in Whistler, B.C.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to go out, have fun and stay positive. You have to be positive and work hard. All we can do is practice, practice, practice.鈥�

The Mudders are made up of female players from both the A and B divisions of the local co-ed league. The core of the team has competed together in Dustball for the past three years, finishing as high as second.

Third baseman Sharmane Jones said it鈥檚 not often a national opportunity comes knocking on your doorstep.

鈥淲e鈥檙e a strong-hearted team,鈥� she told the Star. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all strong players and we鈥檙e all friends. It鈥檚 a huge honour for us to go over there (to nationals).鈥�

Strong, healthy communication continues to be the team鈥檚 biggest strength, Jones added.

鈥淩oni-Sue鈥檚 really built a family through this team,鈥� she said.

On Friday, Heidi Harry went 5-for-5 at the dish with four runs. Lisa Abel also scored four times, while Danielle Sawyer, Shari Wrixon, Leah McLeod and Naomi Smith crossed the plate three times a piece.

Then on Saturday, Flo Kushniruk led the way with a 4-for-4 four-run performance.

Meanwhile, Mudders shortstop Jamie Taylor was brilliant defensively, making a diving grab on a liner in the early innings Saturday.

鈥淓verybody worked hard,鈥� said Steinhagen. 鈥淥ur fielding was good, our batting was good, our running was good. We made a few oopsies, but we鈥檒l work on it.鈥�

The Crushers, on the other hand, endured multiple fielding errors, allowing Fountain Tire to run up the score.

鈥淭he season just started so we haven鈥檛 had much practice,鈥� said Nuway coach Lisa Jarvis.

鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of the effort from our girls. They played hard and left it all out there.鈥�

Jarvis tipped her cap to the Mudders, who she described as being 鈥渕elded together as a team.鈥�

She also said her club will continue to practice in hopes of earning the host duties for the 2016 nationals, which will be held here in Whitehorse.

That qualifying tournament will be held July 31 to Aug. 2.

Steinhagen said she expects at least six or seven teams to vie for the 2016 women鈥檚 host duties.

鈥淭here鈥檚 some good players here in Whitehorse,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t will be a good fight.鈥�

The Mudders roster includes Abel, Karen Bevilacqua, Shelly Clarke, Amie Cofer, Harry, Jones, Kushniruk, Melanie Lachapelle, Heather Mayes, McLeod, Tanya Sage, Sawyer, Smith, Steinhagen, Taylor and Wrixon.

Meanwhile, the 2015 Yukon men鈥檚 qualifying tournament ended with a young squad known as the Marlins drubbing the P&M Recycling Guns 19-8 Saturday night.

Each team will receive up to $20,000 in travel assistance from Softball Yukon in order to attend the 2015 slo-pitch championships in Ontario.

鈥� 鈥� 鈥�

The Whitehorse Co-Ed Slo-Pitch League will host the first of its opening tournaments this weekend.

Div. 1, 4A, and 4B teams will square off for the first co-ed tournament title of the new season.