Richmond 2000A Islanders overcame a tough start and a difficult schedule to nearly win it all at Softball B.C.’s U19 Provincial Championships in Victoria.
The Islanders dropped their first two contests on Friday — losing 7-5 in the seventh inning to defending national champions White Rock 1999 Renegades, then suffering a heartbreaking extra inning loss to Victoria 2000.
With the score tied, two out and bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th, Richmond produced what everyone thought was the game winning-hit only to have the runner thrown out at first on a great play by the right fielder. Victoria scored three in the next inning for an 11-8 triumph.
Saturday saw the Islanders rally with a must win 8-1 victory over Fusion 2001, and then followed that up with a come from behind 9-6 triumph over Storm 2001 — capped by a game winning two-RBI double by Kasey Wright.
With a 2-2 record the Islanders found themselves in fourth, setting up a playoff tilt with the 2017 U16 national champions Delta Heat 2001.
The back-and-forth affair saw the Islanders take the lead in the sixth with RBI singles by Jenny Campbell and Emily Latrace. The Heat got one back in the seventh but it wasn’t enough as Richmond held on for a 5-4 decision.
Playoff Sunday started with with bad news for the Islanders as Nicole Salas was hit with the flu bug and was unable to play. Up to then she had led the team with nine hits and a .474 batting average.
Richmond’s first game was against their old rival — Renegades 2000 — who placed first in round-robin play.
Again, the teams went back and forth with Richmond taking the lead in the third and hanging on for a 6-4 final, with Harper Gibson coming on in relief and throwing four innings of one-hit ball.
That win secured a bronze medal at minimum and set up another meeting with Renegades ’99.
Caitlin Gordon took the mound and kept the national champs off balance for four innings, allowing only two runs. However, White rock took the lead in the fifth and Richmond couldn’t recover, losing 4-3.
The loss set up a rematch with Delta 01, which proved to be a pitching battle until the 6thinning when Latrace singled home Emilie Sherritt with the winning run. Izzy Dino threw a complete game, allowing only five hits and no walks with with three strikeouts.
Having secured a silver medal and looking at their fourth game of the day, Richmond looked to have little left in the tank for the championship tilt against the rested Renegades
White Rock got off to an early lead and were cruising along until RBI hits by Caley Dunlop and Maggie Lawson made it 3-2, getting the crowd back in the game.
Down 4-2 in the seventh, Brooke Stoilen led off with a double and later scored to make it a one run game. The Islanders then loaded the bases with two out but were unable to cash them in.
“It was a great tournament, made even more entertaining by the fact that the fences were set at 235 feet. It played to our style of play as we are a very athletic team and were able to capitalize on the extra open space,” said Islanders head coach Troy Latrace. “Caitlin Redmond used her speed to leg out two triples at key moments where the extra base made a big difference, and the outfield of Wright, Stoilen, Lawson and Miranda Herle were excellent at tracking down balls that normally would be over the fence.
“I couldn’t be more proud of these girls. “was a true team effort and if this was this teams final road trip, they made it one to remember.”
The Islanders will see their White Rock rivals again as one of the B.C. represents at the U19 Canadian Championships slated for Aug. 6-12 at Softball City in South Surrey.
