Two local teams at the U18 Women’s Canadian Fast Pitch Championship in Montreal are through to the playoff round.
The Delta Heat ’97 ran their overall tournament record to 7-0 at the 21-team tournament, and have qualified for the eight-team double knockout playoff which starts tomorrow. Should the Heat win their first playoff game, they can finish no worse than third.
The Surrey Storm ’98 went 2-1 in the second stage of the tournament, placing second in their four-team pool. They will also start the playoff tomorrow.
While the top two teams in each of the four groups advance to the double knockout playoff, the first-place teams go in with two lives, the second place teams start knowing one loss will end their tournament.
Delta blanked the Mississauga North Tigers 4-0 to start the second round of the tournament, with starting pitcher Jesse Goddard going the distance and allowing just three singles over seven innings. She struck out eight Tigers batters, while her teammates scored four times on five hits and three walks.
Taylor Woodard scored on an error in the first inning, then Kendra Ho singled to score Sierra Sherritt and Maria Palmegiani in the third. Sherritt hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth to allow Daniella Vilio to score.
The Lloydminster Rebels became the first team to score an earned run against Goddard, but still lost to the Heat 7-2 Thursday afternoon. Goddard allowed five hits, including a triple, but struck out 11 Rebels batters.
Woodward was a perfect four-for-four at the plate, driving in two runs. Rae Samuelson had three hits, with Palmegiani and Sherritt adding two each. Palmegiani drove in a pair of runs on a first-inning single.
Delta finished the second stage with a 4-1 win over the Nova Scotia U18 squad. Megan Palmer pitched seven innings and allowed one earned run on six hits and a walk while striking out eight batters.
Michaela Moore went two-for-three with two RBIs and a run scored to lead the offence.
The Storm began the second stage with a 7-0 victory over the Lumsden Cubs of Saskatchewan.
Jessica Fasolino threw a two-hit shutout, striking out six Lumsden batters without a walk. Emily Chorpita paced the offense with three hits, including a double, and a pair of RBIs. Taylore Jones had a pair of hits, including a two-run double, with Emily Manhao contributing with a triple that scored two runs.
Surrey then topped the Smitty’s Terminators of Manitoba 6-2, scoring five times in the first two innings.
Fasolino was again the winning pitcher. Smitty’s scored two unearned runs on eight hits. Fasolino struck out eight batters.
Manhao was a perfect three-for-three with a triple, three RBIs and one run scored. Hailey Kjaer and Chorpita had two hits each.
Surrey fell short of placing first in their group with an 8-0 loss to the White Rock Renegades ’97 Friday morning. Julia Wright of the Renegades threw a no-hitter over the five innings, while White Rock scored four times in the first inning and three times in the second.