There was stiff competition at the Midget Provincial Championships for girls' softball over the weekend at the Battleford Flats, and the Battleford Bandits didn't look out of place.
The team found themselves behind the eight ball early, losing 5-1 to the Earl Grey Heat Friday evening, but they had a shot at redemption in their two games Saturday.
The Bandits' first Saturday game was against the Kindersley Royals on a chilly morning. It was clear the girls would have no trouble when it came to cashing in runs, scoring three times in the top of the first inning.
It didn't take long for the Royals to show why they were one of the best teams in the tournament. They scored two runs of their own to bring the game to within one.
After Battleford was shut out in the second, the Royals once again showed off their potent offence. The team put up four more runs to give them a 6-3 lead.
The Bandits were able to tie the game in the top of the third, but, as if the Royals got motivation from being scored against, the team came out swinging yet again. Kindersley added four runs for a 10-6 lead after just three innings.
The fourth inning was scoreless for both clubs, the only inning in which Kindersley was unable to score at least twice.
After the Royals offence held Battleford scoreless in the top of the fifth, their own offence hit the field once again with a chance to end the game early.
Kindersley needed three runs for the mercy rule to come into effect, and they got them.
Despite an impressive offensive performance, the Bandits lost 13-6 in five innings.
Now with an 0-2 record, Battleford had one game left against the Prince Albert Aces. Both teams were winless and had no chance of advancing. With Kindersley and Earl Grey each having two wins apiece, the Battleford-Prince Albert showdown was for nothing more than bragging rights.
Both teams had the defence and pitching working to perfection, as the game was scoreless through two. In the bottom of the third, the Aces exploded for four runs.
The fourth and fifth innings went by with neither team able to score, it was looking like Battleford was poised for another disappointing loss.
A big sixth inning by the Bandits was enough to make it a nail-biter. The three-run inning brought the game to within one.
With her team down by one, the bases loaded, two outs and two strikes against her, Kayla Hartley of the Bandits had a chance to be the hero. Battleford was one strike away from losing the game when Hartley smacked a two run base hit up the middle to give the team the lead in the top of the seventh inning.
The Bandits added another run to give them a 6-4 lead and Prince Albert was down to their final three outs.
The drama continued as the Aces added two runs of their own and the game was off to extra innings.
Battleford scored two runs in the top half of the eighth inning, but once again couldn't hold the lead. Prince Albert bettered them, scoring three of their own and sending the Bandits packing. The game was ended on a rocket to the left field fence, which scored the winning run in walk-off fashion.
The 0-3 tournament record wasn't the outcome Battleford hoped for, but the team took Prince Albert down to the wire and the other two teams they lost to, Earl Grey and Kindersley, met up in the championship game as the top two teams of the tournament.
With the provincial title on the line, the Heat and Royals weren't giving an inch. Neither team scored through three innings of play.
Kindersley was able to score twice in the fourth, and after exchanging runs in the fifth, the Royals had a 3-1 lead going into the sixth inning.
The floodgates opened in the bottom of the sixth for Kindersley, the girls scored four times in the inning. The seven run lead after six innings is all they needed for the mercy rule to come into effect. Some of their players didn't realize they had won the game, but as soon as they did, the entire team flooded the Battleford Flats, jumping up and down celebrating their title as provincial champions.
The flats were busy over the weekend, as it also hosted the Under-18 boys' provincial tournament. The Conquest Coyotes were able to top the Saskatoon Selects in the finals of that one.
