One tough inning eliminated the Estevan Elite U18 provincial girls softball team from the 2015 Softball Saskatchewan U18 B Girls Provincial Championship and left them with a third-place finish last Sunday at the Pleasantdale Softball Diamonds.
Leading the Moose Jaw Ice 9-6 into the bottom of the seventh inning of the provincial semi-final, the sky opened causing a roughly 15-minute rain delay. The dominance Estavan showed against Moose Jaw before the delay evaporated when play resumed with the Ice surging ahead on timely hits and missed balls to the backstop to score 4 runs and secure the second spot in the tourney and final qualifier for the Western Canadian tournament with a 10-9 win.
Elite catcher Kristen Skjonsby, 18, said the rain delay was a factor, but can’t be named the sole reason for the loss. She said the Ice simply played well, got a few runners on base and her team couldn’t stop them before they crossed home plate.
“It just wasn’t meant to be,” said Skjonsby.
Rene Blanchette, head coach of the Estevan Elite U18 provincial team, said they were struggling with throwing strikes after the delay, which forced him to switch pitchers three times during the inning. He said the coaching staff took out starter Daria Schaff and replaced her with regular starter Kaley McMillan in the hopes of getting a couple strikeouts to end the game, but that didn’t turn out and Taylor Marcotte was then brought in.
By this time, the momentum was all on the side of Moose Jaw. Another missed ball to the backstop and a run home from third sealed the outcome.
“We had our chances and we took advantage of some of them,” said Blanchette. “Unfortunately, we had a few plays that cost us a couple runs, I believe were the difference there, but other than that it was anybody’s game and, unfortunately, somebody has to lose.”
Skjonsby said they wanted to get a chance to face the top seeded Saskatoon Selects in the final. She said even though the provincial team has only been together for a few weeks and half the girls on the team never played together before the tournament, everyone gelled and a better outcome was a good possibility.
“I was hoping to get at least second,” she said. “I want to beat Moose Jaw. That’s what we all wanted to do, but I guess not.”
Blanchette said the team’s goal heading in was to gain a top-two spot, the Selects gained the first position in the tournament with an unbeaten championship performance, and advance to Westerns in Lloydminster. He said they’ll lose Skjonsby, Marcotte, Macy Earl and Hannah Hextall to graduation this year, but the majority of the team will be back next season to give them another shot.
“Taylor, Kristen and Macy have been around, (they're) local girls who have been around for a number of years playing the game,” he said. “Hannah came from Weyburn to join us this year. It’s too bad and sad to see them go. They’ve been a big part of our team over the years and I appreciate that.”
