SUBMITTED PHOTO Medicine Hat's Jade Forsyth tries for a swinging bunt during Prairie League Softball under-16 playoffs in Unity, Sask. this past weekend.
Medicine Hat News
There was no expansion draft, no multi-million dollar contracts, but let’s call the Medicine Hat Thunder the Vegas Golden Knights of Prairie League Softball anyhow.
The under-16 girls team joined the league this year and got all the way to the championship final Sunday before falling 7-2 to the host Unity Panthers.
Perhaps the most telling accomplishment of the weekend for Medicine Hat was handing Unity their first loss of the season, 7-4 on Sunday. Alas, Unity still wound up with a spot in the final and put up five runs in their half of the fourth inning before hanging on and taking the title.
Kenny King and Rachel Werre each had hits as the Thunder scored twice in response, but it wasn’t enough. Mia Kelly went the distance pitching and even went 3-for-4 at the plate, while King was also 3-for-4.
Werre threw five innings to get the pitching win over Unity earlier in the day, as her teammates exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning. Reese Bourassa knocked in two of those runs.
Other playoff wins were 7-4 over the St. Albert Angels on Friday, and 7-2 over the Irma Tigers on Saturday. Werre and Kelly each had complete game wins on the mound, while hitting highlights included Josie Clark going 3-for-4 Friday and Presley Gainer hitting a home run as part of a 3-for-4 day Saturday.
After going 8-2 in the regular season —split between two weekends of play —the Thunder knew they could contend. And they’ll know it when provincials takes place July 13-15 in Calahoo, Alta.
Many of the team’s players will also compete in the Alberta Summer Games next month in Grande Prairie.
Under-14
The under-14 Thunder have also seen lots of recent success.
Medicine Hat improved to 5-1 after splitting a pair of games in Lethbridge Saturday. They dropped an 18-13 decision to Lethbridge, then blew out Hanna 22-3.
Coach Josh Hudson wrote in an email to the News that defence was a major factor in both games, which is to say it was a lot better in the 22-3 win. Berlin Mastel threw three innings and Kate Doerksen the fourth in that victory as well.
The games came on the heels of four big home wins against Lethbridge a weekend earlier at the McCoy field. Scores were 22-14, 23-15, 15-10 and 18-13. Starting pitchers Mastel and Hailey Hudson each went 2-0 on the mound, with Mastel adding a rare home run offensively. But the attack really came from Kayla Robinson, who went 11-for-13 with 10 RBI on the weekend. Madison Perry had nine of the team’s 72 stolen bases.
“Overall, our players did amazing,” wrote Hudson. “We aren’t loaded up on experience; we just have a lot of girls that really want to improve and play well.”
The Thunder only has a few more games set prior to under-14 C provincials July 13-15 in Lacombe.
Under-10
For the first time, Medicine Hat Minor Softball will have a team entered in under-10 provincials.
The Thunder don’t have much competition in their zone, but went 4-0 against a trio of teams in Moose Jaw earlier this month.
Wins of 3-0, 3-2 and 10-4 over Moose Jaw squads got them to the championship final June 3, where they dominated the Kincaid Coolcats 11-1.
Next up is an exhibition game against Medicine Hat’s under-12 team next Tuesday. Provincials start June 30 in Calgary.
