The bats were alive on the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre ball fields June 8-10 as Prince Rupert hosted the annual Seafest Slo-Pitch tournament.
Eight teams — including teams from Smithers, Moricetown, Terrace and local Prince Rupert teams — took to the diamond to try and earn bragging rights for another year.
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“It was a great weekend,” said Trevor Girbav, the tournament’s organizer. “Any time you can get a Seafest where it isn’t raining sideways is good so i’ll take it.”
Girbav said the combination of strong attendance and good weather conditions facilitated a high level of play throughout the tournament.
“It’s the most competition we’ve had in a Seafest tournament in 10 years,” he said.
Prince Rupert team, No#1, went undefeated through the tournament to make it to the finals where they faced the Prestige, a skilled and powerful team from Smithers.
Prestige was able to win the first game of the finals to force a second, sudden-death final game between the two teams.
The second game got off to a slightly controversial start as the Prestige has three runs out of a grand slam discounted because one of their second runner failed to cross the home plate line. This, combined with a strong first inning from No#1 gave the Prince Rupert side a 3-1 lead going into the second inning.
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As the game progressed, Prestige fought back eventually closing to within one run at the top of the seventh inning, but No#1 was able to get the critical outs necessary to secure a 10-9 victory.
“I was a little worried in the seventh because the top of their order has so much pop and so much skill,” said Girbav. “But we were able to make it work.”
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