Richmond 2001 Islanders reached the podium for the second time in post-season play, this time capturing silver at the U14B Provincial Championships in Ridge Meadows.
Coming off a bronze medal finish at the Lower Mainland Cup, coach Greg Dee led his girls fastpitch team to the provincial final and a 6-3 overall record. The Islanders were firing in all key aspects of the game with great fielding, excellent pitching and timely hitting.
Richmond earned the fourth seed for the playoff bracket by going 3-1 in round-robin play, losing its only game in extra innings.
It was capped by a 4-3 win over the Coquitlam Classics. Hannah Collings led the way with two hits and a pair of RBIs — driving in the winning run in the bottom of the sixth. Outfielders Tjammie Ko and Alex Borbely both made outstanding catches.
The Islanders opened the playoffs with a 6-4 win over the View Royal Vipers. Megan Saez Co turned in a strong pitching performance, while third baseman Asha Pannu and Borbely both made great catches on line drives. Kate Dee and Borbely combined to go 5-for-5 at the plate with a pair of RBIs.
The result set-up a date with top seed and provincial favourite Langley Extreme.
The Islanders thrived in the underdog role as Dee scored on a first inning ground-out by Autaum Hilyer and drove in a pair herself with a single in the second. A pass ball made it 4-0.
Izy Wick snared a line drive at first base and more excellent defence followed as the next Extreme batter was thrown out trying to stretch a hit to third, thanks to a terrific relay from Dee to Jessica Ryan to Pannu.
Richmond added to its lead as Leah LaRoque drove in Ryan. She and Pannu then scored on a throwing error.
The Islanders went on to post a big 8-4 win, guaranteeing themselves at least a bronze medal. The only negative was an injury to Dee that sidelined her for the rest of the weekend.
In the semi-final on Sunday morning, the Islanders could not mount any sustained offence and lost 3-0 to the host Rage.
That result set-up a rematch with the Extreme. The winner would meet Ridge Meadows in the final.
The Islanders took a 3-0 lead as their first three batters got on base and scored, highlighted by a single by Hilyer and a double from Wick.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Islanders made a well-executed defensive play that got the batter out at first on a bunt and another at third — with a throw by Jessica Gee to Jamie Muller to end the threat.
In the bottom of the sixth, with the Extreme looking to tie the score, the Islanders again played lights out defense to get an over-aggressive baserunner out at home as Hilyer threw to Saez Co for the tag.
The Islanders added a much-needed insurance run in the top of the seventh with singles by Hilyer, Wick and Saez Co.
Saez Co then closed the game by striking out the side.
In the gold medal game, the Islanders took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as Pannu hit an RBI single to score Ryan.
However, the Rage rallied in the bottom half of the inning to pull even. The score remained that way until the fifth, when one of the Islanders’ few mistakes during the weekend led to a three-run lead for Ridge Meadows.
With two regulars injured, the Islanders gave a valiant effort but eventually ran out of gas in a 7-1 loss.
Despite the outcome, coach Dee and assistants Jeff Collins and Betson Saez Co, are extremely proud of the players and their accomplishments this season.
The team medaled in all of the five tournaments they entered.
The players include: Brianna Baignee, Alex Borbely, Hannah Collins, Kate Dee, Autaum Hilyer, Tjammie Ko, Jamie Muller, Asha Pannu, Jessica Ryan, Megan Saez Co, and Izy Wick. Special thanks to Jessica Gee, Leah LaRocque, and coach Eric Gee for helping the team during the provincials.
