All of a sudden, the Ice Cold Pitches are red hot.
And all of a sudden, the regular season champion White House Mortgage Gators are done.
A wild opening night in the Vernon Ladies Slo-Pitch League’s playoffs saw the Pitches, who finished fourth in the four-team league, advance to Wednesday night’s final and have to be beaten twice, while the Gators, who finished atop the league at 7-3-2, went out in two straight games.
The Ice Cold Pitches started their playoffs oat Kin Race Track in great form after defeating the Gators in a close 11-8 game. The game was tied 8-8 at the end of the fifth inning and the Pitches responded with three runs in the top of the seventh, then shut down the Gators in the bottom half. The Pitches, naturally, got a great showing on the mound from pitcher Marlee Hartman while offensively, Brittany Housego and Vanessa Bostock were perfect at the plate, and Jenny Gartner, Shaina McGiverin and Sheila Martin all went 3-for-4.
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The Ice Colds advanced to the final by beating Delaney Properties Ltd. Tenacity 11-3 (Tenacity, which finished third, knocked off the second-place Competition Exteriors Dynamite 17-10 in the opener for both teams).
McGiverin and Laura Hopkins were perfect at the plate,, Gartner and Tracy Solmes each went 3-for-4 and Hartman helped her own cause going 2-for-3 with the bat.
The Dynamite kept their season alive by beating the Gators 16-5, knocking out the regular season champs.
“It took us until the fifth inning to get our bats going scoring six runs (maximum for an inning) in the fifth and sixth to give us the lead in the game,” said the Nitro’s Shelly Ouellette. “Jen T was strong on the mound, holding the Gators to five runs over seven innings, and went 4-for-4 at the plate with four RBIs.”
Leadoff hitter Chelsey Adams sparked the offence, going 4-for-5 with an RBI. Shortstop Kristi Spelay was 2-for-4 with two ribbies and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth to score the max sixth run. Tamara Milford was huge at the plate going 3-for-4, Sheena Haines went 2-for-4 with a sac fly in the fourth to score the Dynamite’s first run in the game. Greg Barry added three hits, Ouellette had two hits and two RBIs while Linda Castonguay, Jessica Sinclaire and Sandi Demers also went 2-for4 at the plate.
“Jen pitched a solid game,” said Ouellette. “Linda (second) and Kristi were solid up the middle in getting 12 of the outs in the game, with two double plays. Who doesn’t love a double play?”
Against Tenacity, Competition Exteriors watched as Delaney Properties had their bats going early and often.
Haines was strong on the mound going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Adams was 3-for-4 in leadoff position with a home run to start the game. Castonguay had three hits, including a first-inning triple, and Spelay went 3-for-4. Tamara Milford also added a trip and an RBI.
So it’s win to stay in for both Tenacity and Dynamite, who meet Wednesday at 6 p.m. The winner advances to the 7:15 p.m. final against the Pitches and have to beat them twice to claim the title.
If a second game is required, it will be played next Wednesday, June 26, at Kin Race Track.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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