The Delta Heat ‘97 have aced the first test at the U18 Women’s Canadian Fast Pitch Championship.
Winners of the B.C. championship July 26-28 in North Delta, the Heat topped the field after the first round of the 21-team national tournament in Montreal.
A year ago at the nationals in Saskatoon, Heat ‘97 placed second after losing the championship game 7-5 to the Delta Heat ‘96.
The Heat ‘97 needed just five innings to win their first game of the tournament Sunday morning, blanking the Nova Scotia U18 side 12-0. Taylor Woodward, Sierra Sherritt, Michaela Moore and Janey Thomas paced Delta with five hits each. Sherritt had five RBIs (runs batted in).
Jesse Goddard was the winning pitcher, allowing just one hit while striking out five batters in two innings.
Delta win their second game of the tournament Monday morning with a 16-0 triumph over the Pickering Heat of Ontario. The Heat rocked Pickering pitching for 16 hits, including a perfect four-for-four effort from Woodward, and three-for-three games from Moore and Samuelson. Maria Palmegiani was a perfect two-for-two with three RBIs. Lauren Watson also had a pair of hits, driving in four runs.
Goddard pitched three innings for the win, collecting four strikeouts. She and Palmer combined for a no-hitter, with Palmer stricken gout two of the three batters she faced in the fourth inning.
The Heat needed the regulation seven innings in a 9-1 victory Monday afternoon over the Prince Albert Astros. Leading 4-1 after four innings, Delta put the game well out of reach with a run in the sixth inning and four more in the seventh.
Woodward and Laura Baldry paced the Heat offense with three hits each, accounting for half of Delta’s 12 hits in the game. Watson and Rae Samuelson had two hits each, with Moore, Samuelson and Baldry collecting a pair of RBIs each.
Goddard picked up her third win of the tournament, allowing just two hits in seven innings pitched. The lone run allowed was unearned. Goddard struck out six batters without giving up a walk.
For the third time in four games, the Heat used the mercy rule to end a game early, thumping the host Quebec Rebelles 14-0 in five innings.
Goddard was near-perfect, striking out nine batters in four innings and not allowing a walk or a hit. Only a Delta fielding error allowed a Rebelles runner on base, and she never advanced beyond first.
Goddard finished the first stage of the tournament with a 4-0 won-loss record without giving up an earned run or a walk, striking out 24 batters. She allowed just three hits in 16 innings pitched.
Megan Palmer pitched the fifth inning in relief, striking out the three batters she faced.
Moore with three hits, Watson, Baldry and Samuelson with two each were the leading batters. Watson also scored three runs, while Samuelson was credited with three RBIs.
The Heat moved on to the second round, placed in a four-team group for a round robin. The top two advance to the eight-team double knockout playoff.
Also in the second round in Montreal are the Surrey Storm ‘98, the bronze medalists at the provincial tournament. The Surrey side has won two of four games.
Storm ‘98 struggled in their first game Sunday against the Alberta-champion Calgary Kaizen, falling 11-0 in five innings. Demi Rose and Taylore Jones singled to account for the only two hits from the Surrey side.
The Storm recovered Monday afternoon for a 7-3 victory over the Winnipeg Lightning.
Brooke Derkson was three-for-four with an RBI and a run scored for Surrey, with Noelle Johnson adding a pair of hits. Jessica Fasolino was the winning pitcher, allowing three unearned runs on three hits. She had nine strikeouts and didn’t allow a walk.
Fasolino collected another complete-game victory Tuesday morning, throwing a two-hit shutout as the Storm edged the Brampton Blazers 1-0. Fasolino allowed just two singles, didn’t give up a walk and fanned 10 Brampton batters.
The Storm made the most of just five hits, getting three of them in the bottom of the seventh to score the game-winning run. Singles from Emily Manhao, Derkson and Emily Chorpita led to the game’s only run.