Ladies' playoff push

The Northwest Vipers entered the Battlefords and District Ladies' League playoffs with a 13-1 record and in first place. The Vipers proved to be the favourite Monday, as the playoffs started at the Flats for the league's eight teams.

Battlefords and District Ladies' Fastball League most valuable players from left to right: Unity Rustler Jaycie Neil, Unity Bantam Panther Mickayla Brandle, Unity Midget Panther Kori Herner, Maidstone Iron Maiden Heidi Chant, Northwest Viper Toni Wall, Battlefords Survivor Lori Ferguson, Battlefords Midget Bandit Tori Heinemann and Battlefords Bantam Bandit Keinyn Nordell.Photo submitted

The Northwest Vipers entered the Battlefords and District Ladies' League playoffs with a 13-1 record and in first place.

The Vipers proved to be the favourite Monday, as the playoffs started at the Flats for the league's eight teams.

The Vipers scored early and often in their two games and didn't surrender a run in either game. The Vipers had Brittany Fedler pitching for the first game and beat the Maidstone Iron Maidens 12-0. In the second game, the Vipers won 8-0 over the Unity Midget Panthers.

The Vipers advance to the league final July 11 and will face either the Unity Midget Panthers or Battlefords Midget Bandits.

The Panthers and Bandits will play in the semifinal game Wednesday with the loser being eliminated and the winner advancing to the final.

The Panthers won their first game 6-2 over the Battlefords Bandits before losing to the Vipers. The Bandits won their second game Monday evening with a 7-3 victory over the Iron Maidens, who were eliminated from the playoffs in their first year in the league.

In the B-side standings, the Battlefords Survivors are on their way through to the final. The sixth place Survivors beat the seventh place Battlefords Bantam Bandits 7-6 in the first game Monday. In the second half of the playoff double-header the Survivors won 8-3 over the Unity Bantam Panthers.

The Bantam Panthers won their first game 9-2 over the Unity Rustlers.

The Rustlers were later beat by the Battlefords Bantams 11-4 and knocked out of the playoffs.

The two rival bantam teams will face off once again Wednesday in the semifinal with the winner moving on to face the Survivors.

Along with the playoffs starting, the team's most valuable players were also presented with their awards. The Vipers recipient was speedy Toni Wall, who won the award once prior to this season when she played with the Edam Midgets. Kori Herner was the Unity Midget Panthers' winner. Battlefords Midget Bandits catcher Tori Heinemann, Heidi Chant from Maidstone, Unity Rustlers' Jaycie Neil, Lori Ferguson from the Survivors, Keinyn Nordell from the Bantam Bandits and Mickayla Brandle of the Bantam Panthers also earned MVP awards.