BY MARK LOEHNDORF, THE STARPHOENIX
Anyone walking around outside after dark will notice that summer is quickly coming to an end, as the chill in the air begins to create a feeling of autumn.
The cool evening temperature is but one of the signs that softball season is ending. League playoffs are winding down, teams have completed their runs at nationals and the International Softball Congress world tournament, and organizers are beginning to make plans for next year.
Last weekend two local teams completed their season following strong performances at major competitions. The Saskatoon Virtus Group Selects were in Winnipeg for the midget girls under-19 Canadian championship. This tough 18-team field was probably the most competitive of all the national championships, and coach Heather Garman’s Selects put forth a strong showing.
They finished the preliminary portion in a seven-team log-jam for second place. They went on a bit of run with two straight playoff wins, beating the South Interlake Phillies and Smitty’s Terminators by identical 4-1 scores. Their run ended late Saturday night in their third game of the day, with a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to the Guelph Gators. A two-run homer by Gators’ leadoff hitter Nikki Fulton, her sixth dinger of the championship, was the difference in the last game for the Selects.
Kelsey Teneycke’s home run in the top of the sixth made things interesting but they could not come any closer. The loss had to be disappointing; nevertheless, they finished the week with seven wins and the best result for a Saskatoon team at midget nationals in long time.
The Saskatoon senior Diamondbacks came into the ISC world tournament in Quad Cities, Ill., ranked fifth, and they were keyed up to improve on that ranking. They knew winning the event was certainly going to be tough, as the top teams featured stacked lineups including the two Australians who are generally considered the best pitchers in the world, Andrew Fitzpatrick and Adam Folkard.
However, the Diamondbacks lineup was far from a pushover, as their pitching depth and timely hitting got them four wins and put them into a great spot in the playoffs.
In the quarter-final, a Jason Hill home run was all the support Diamondbacks pitcher Dean Holoien needed, as he threw a two-hitter to beat the Minnesota Angels 1-0.
In the semifinal, Saskatoon went up against Fitzpatrick and could only manage one hit in a 7-0 loss. A thirdplace finish was a huge step forward for this team that had never played a game in the final weekend before.
Three local players distinguished themselves among the top players in the world, as they were named to the tournament all-star team. Colin Schaan was named second-team outfielder, Holoien second-team pitcher and Brennan Pokoyoway was named first-team infielder.
The strength of the two major softball leagues in the city has been demonstrated again this year.
The Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association and the Saskatoon Minor Softball League has to be proud of the fact that each of their leagues sent 10 teams to Canadian or western Canadian championships. At these championships SASA teams produced four medals including one national champion and two western champions.
The Diamondbacks finished the season as the thirdbest club team in the world and thus is a key part of the SASA teams’ successful season as well. Click here for the complete story.