Gazette staff
Muddy fields and relentless rainfall didn’t deter players and supporters from coming out to the last Slo-pitch events of the season.
The diamonds at Storey’s Beach played host to two tournaments this weekend, one an all-girls tourney, the other an all-male orthodox competion.
Round-robin games saw the fields of seven ladies teams and eight mens teams whittled down for Sunday’s finals.
In the ladies event, the ‘B’ bracket final saw Rainbow Brite beat out the Swingers before Lauries’ Girls took on No Glove, No Love in the ‘A’ final.
In a well- balanced game both teams batted superbly, each team hitting the fence once. The fielding was of an equally high standard, with No Glove’s infield being particularly clinical.
In the end, No Glove were just too strong and took the title.
That the two sides formed a single, giant huddle after the game shows the spirit that both teams brought to the field.
The men’s tourney was a little different to the Slo-pitch that most were used to playing over the summer, with whipped-in pitches and base-stealing allowed.
The ‘B’ final saw the Smokers being too strong for the Rez before the Cubs faced the master Batters in the ‘A’ final.
Both teams took an inning or two to get used to the conditions and the different rules, as runners on both sides were able to steal at will before the teams setted into the game.
The Master Batters were the stronger side at bat, with the game having to pause at one point because all balls were out of the park.
The Cubs however were clinical when the balls didn’t reach the fence, with a superb fielding and pitching display making the Master Batters life difficult.
The game was tied at 13-13 coming to the final innings and the Cubs were able to take a two-run lead on their bat.
The Master Batters were unable to score as a their first and second batters were picked off in left field.
After getting a runner to first, a pop up to the Cubs’ rover ended their hopes and a fantastic contest.
Organizer David Deans awarded the prizes to the finalists and left each team to decide their own MVPs.
Deans said that the two tournaments were such a success that he had been asked about extending them into full leagues next year, something he would consider over the winter.
Deans said that if the interest was there that he would consider putting an all-female league and men’s orthodox league in place after the annual mixed-gender Slo-pitch league wraps up early next summer.
