麻豆社区

The softball season was back in full swing in Whitehorse this weekend, with three co-ed league opening tournaments happening simultaneously.

Twenty teams in three divisions battled for the opening tournament titles, with championship games taking place Sunday morning at the Pepsi Centre.

Dave's Cleaning Crew topped six teams to win the Division 1 tournament, while Bailey's Pub and the Whitehorse Property Management Eagles topped the 4A and 4B divisions, each of which featured eight teams.

Next weekend, three more opening tournaments will happen, with Divisions 2, 3A and 3B all slated to hit the diamonds.

Semaschuk's bat leads Dave's Cleaning to win

Three home runs and six RBIs from the bat of James Semaschuk helped Dave's Cleaning earn a 14-9 win over the Whitehorse Dental Donkeys in the Div. 1 final.

"This was our first tournament as a team,鈥� the 麻豆社区slugger said after the game. "It's a good accomplishment to win. Complete Concrete and the Donkeys have always been the teams to beat.鈥�

Three Div. 2 teams came together to form this season's Div. 1 team, Semaschuk explained.

"A lot of us have played together before,鈥� he said. "Just having that team dynamic helped us a lot.鈥�

His club dropped its first game of the tournament to the Complete Concrete Athletics, before putting together a four-game winning streak en route to the tournament crown.

Donkeys pitcher Derek Baldwin said clutch hitting was the difference in the ball game.

"It was a close game,鈥� he said. "They hit the ball when they needed to, and we didn't. We had a few three up, three down innings, and that can't happen in slo-pitch. You're not going to win games that way.鈥�

The Donkeys beat the Castle Rock Enterprises Bears and the Wintemute Electric Brewjays to earn a berth in the final.

Regardless of the loss, Baldwin said his team is happy to be back on the diamonds.

"It's great to be back,鈥� he said. "We couldn't have asked for a better day to play.鈥�

Besides Semaschuk, other members of Dave's Cleaning included Tanner Gainer, Michelle Gorczyca, Candice MacEachen, Brian White, Jordan Cowman, Geoff Callahan, Katlyn Reynolds, Heather Elliott, Bubba Demchuk, Myrna Engren, Leanne Brassard, Dawn Stagg, Karlie Knight, Stephanie DeWitt, Kristian King and coach Glen Doumont.

Bailey's Pub rides hot bats, defence to title

Bailey's Pub put the exclamation point on a dominant tournament with an 18-5 win over Sam and Andy's Bandidos Sunday morning at the Pepsi Centre.

The team played shorthanded and took an automatic out every 10th batter after submitting a lineup that included a male player who failed to report to the early-morning game.

Bailey's pitcher Nick Estrada said his teammates strung together some of their best play in the team's short history during the three-day tournament.

"This is only our second year playing,鈥� he told the Star. "Last year, we were second or third-last. We never would have thought we'd be in the finals.

"So this feels really good. All of our hits were getting out there. Each of our girls were hitting well and we had great defence.鈥�

Winning the tournament title alongside Estrada were Alexis Tewnion, Jill Dean, Ammon Hoefs, Emily Hoefs, Stephanie Wilson, Chris Pollard, Amy Vermeulen, Ryan Carveth, Liz Eddy, and Kyle Carlson.

The Bandidos lost 18-1 to Bailey's Saturday afternoon, but beat the Yukon Denture Dust Devils 19-7 to earn a rematch.

"We played well,鈥� said Bandidos outfielder Chad Bustin. "This is the first time we've been in the finals. Bailey's just had some of the best hitters and played some of the best defence in the tournament. They were hard to beat.鈥�

WPM Eagles soar past FHP Ballwackers in extras

Jackie Callahan beat a throw to the plate from For Hire Plumbing Ballwackers second baseman Vanessa Bogaert and the WPM Eagles scored a walk-off win in extra innings to win the Div. 4B tournament.

The winning RBI came courtesy of batter James Johnnie.

"This was the closest game we had this tournament,鈥� said Eagles coach Henry Taylor. "And this is the first tournament we've ever won. It will make our sponsor happy.鈥�

Taylor said the tournament proved to be a good one for his team, which held on to win in thrilling fashion.

"It was a whole team effort,鈥� he said. "Everyone worked well together.鈥�

Aside from Callahan and Johnnie, other Eagles players included Roxanne Johnnie, Allen Taylor, Paula Taylor, Nathan Dawson, Melanie Jim, Jeanine George, Jason Charlie, Brenda-Lee Smith, Kuduat Shorty-Henyu, Tyler Smith and Liz Smith.

"It was such a beautiful game,鈥� said Ballwackers first baseman April Williams. "Extra innings 鈥� You can't ask for much better.鈥�

After losing to the Eagles 17-9 Saturday afternoon, the Ballwackers edged the ACME Labs Tune Squad 12-11 to earn a rematch with the eventual champions.