The Kelowna Heat U-16 girls are off to provincials.
The Heat beat the Sililkameen Kobau Koyotes out of Cawston two games to one in a best of three series at High Noon on the weekend, winning the third and deciding game in convincing fashion to claim the regional U-16 title.
After splitting the first two games the Heat offense came to play in the deciding game as Niah La Roy started the offensive barrage with a two-run home run in the third inning. Kelowna then put up five more runs in the fourth inning to take a commanding lead.
However the Koyotes didn’t go quietly and scored four runs of their own in the fourth to make the score 7-4.
Annie Morrison put an end to the Koyotes momentum when she threw out a runner at home and that seemed to spark the home side.
The Kelowna girls answered back in the top of the fifth when Racquel Bennett took the first pitch she saw to the fence for a triple before the team poured on the offense and eventually won the game 12-4, earning a trip to the provincials.
Other offensive highlights included Carleigh Maniago with a two-RBI double, Bailey Wellman knocking in two more with a single and Tyler Wosley going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and scoring 3 times. Emma Wilton played solidly defensively in the win.
Earlier in the weekend the two teams had split the opening games of the best-of-three.
In the first game Morrison went the distance pitching seven strong innings and striking out eight for a 7-3 win. La Roy led the offense going 3-for-4 with Gracie Barbour and Alexis Dupuis each picking up two RBI’s.
Cawston earned a 4-3 win in the second game as the Koyotes forced the third and deciding game.
Kelowna again out hit the Koyotes but three errors in the fifth allowed the Koyotes to score three and take the lead for good. Danya Truscott-Plitt pitched well in the loss striking out four batters over six innings.
Winning the District championship has now qualified the Heat for the Provincial Championship being held in Cloverdale July 17 to 19.
The U-18 girls regional games were cancelled.
