There were Angels in the outfield this Canada Day long weekend, as Delta took third place at the girls under-10 softball championships.
The Delta Angels, an all-star “supermite” softball team comprised of a dozen nine and 10-year-old girls from the North Delta Softball Association and South Delta Minor Fastpitch Association, competed in the 23rd annual U10 [Mite] Girls Invitational Championships at Squint Lake Park in Burnaby from July 1 to 3.
The Angels, who had only practiced together for about four weeks prior to the tournament, placed third in a field of 22 teams. It’s the highest placing by a Delta team at the tournament since 2004.
North Delta’s Haydn Milley, 9, who pitched and played shortstop for the Angels, said the tournament was a good way for her to test her skills and learn from other players.
“It was cool to get experience from [playing] all the different teams and see what level they were at [compared to] our team,” Milley said. “I had a lot of fun.”
Undefeated going into the playoffs, the team first beat the TriCity Titans 5-4 before going up against North Langley Thunder in what some described as the most exciting game the Angels had played so far.
Milley called it the hardest game of the tournament.
“They have a really fast pitcher and they knew how to hit the ball,” Milley said.
The girls came close but were ultimately defeated in the last inning 4-5. The Thunder went on to place second in the tournament, falling to the Ridge Meadows Pride 3-1.
Undeterred, the Angels bounced back, defeating the South Surrey Thunder 13-3 to win third place overall.
Softball wasn’t the only competition going on at the tournament. Teams also participated in a “base race” to determine the fastest team, as well as a cheer competition.
“With your team you make up a dance to a song and a bunch of people perform it,” Milley said. “We did really good, but we didn’t win.”
Check out video of the Angels' cheer performance below: