The
St Marys Norampac Squirt Girls Fastball team had back-to-back games this week
and earned their first point of the 2016 Huron/Perth Fastball season. On
Tuesday, the Squirts hosted the Baden #1 squad at Teddy’s Field.
Natalie Johnston pitched a complete four inning game striking out eleven while surrendering no hits. Unfortunately, the visitors were very patient at the plate and literally were not swinging, as they walked their way to a 10 – 7 victory. Johnston, Grace Hillman and Ava Ansley all had singles and were the only hits for St Marys. Ansley was also hit by a pitch in the bottom of the first then promptly stole second, then third, and scored the first run on a steal home.
On Wednesday, the Squirts travelled to the Anne Hathaway Ball Diamond in Stratford where St Marys batters went one, two, three, all on strikeouts to start the game. In the bottom of the inning Tianna Glousher struck out two, but a bases-loaded hit batter brought home Stratford’s first run for a 1 – 0 lead.
In the second, Sarah Lynch opened with a walk and stole second, but the next three St Marys batters went down swinging and St Marys could not cash in a run. Stratford added three more runs in the bottom of the second for a 4 – 0 advantage.
St Marys was hoping the bats would come alive in the third, but like the previous innings, three strikeouts meant for a three-up three-down inning. Glousher caught a pop-out to start the bottom of the third, before Stratford was able to score their fifth run of the game.
In their final at bat, Kaitie Gratton and Taylor Hammell drew walks before Ansley singled to load the bases. Nicole Rock followed with a base-on-ball bringing Gratton home making it 5 – 1. Emma Luyten worked the count full before drawing the walk bringing home Hammell for St Marys second run of the inning. Ansley crossed the plate for the Squirts third run on an RBI single from Lynch. With the bases still loaded Kaitlyn DeBoer drew the fifth walk of the inning allowing Rock to come home making the game 5 – 4. With Hayden MacDonald at the plate, Luyten stole home on a wild pitch giving St Marys their fifth run of the inning and tying the game 5 – 5. Unfortunately, the inning ended there as the maximum runs allowed to be scored was reached.
Glousher struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the fourth, while the defence behind her picked up the third out preserving the come from behind tie and earning St Marys their first point of the early season.
The Norampac Squirts travel to Sebringville on Monday, May 30th with their next home game Tuesday, June 7 at Teddy’s as they host Stratford.