Strong showing for U19 Eagles
P.E.I. team returns home with silver medal from women’s tournament
The P.E.I. Eagles’ under-19 softball team had a strong showing at the Lloyd Poirier Memorial women’s fastpitch tournament here recently. The Eagles returned home with the silver medal after posting a very respectable overall record of 4-2 (won-lost). After going 2-1 in round-robin play, the Eagles trimmed the Nova Scotia Rampage 7-1 in the quarter-finals, and then picked up a 6-4 come-from-behind decision in extra innings over the She Devils in the semifinals. That earned the Eagles a berth in the final against Stealers, who overcame an early 5-0 deficit in a 9-6 win. A four-hour rain delay on the final day of the tournament resulted in five-inning playoff games.
Round robin
In the round robin, the Eagles defeated Cole Harbour 10-3 and the Rampage 6-5 while losing 6-4 to the Scotia Storm. “There was great competition at the tournament that featured three under-19 teams, three under-23 teams and three senior women’s teams from P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland,” commented Eagles coach Chris Halliwell. The P.E.I. Cheers’ team completed play 0-3, and did not qualify for the playoffs.
Stealers 9 Eagles 6
The Eagles jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Stealers answered right back to tie the game in the bottom half of the frame. “We lost to what I consider to be one of the strongest teams in Eastern Canada,” said Coach Halliwell. “The Stealers are an under23 team made up of 2017 Canada Games players from P.E.I., New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. “Playing a great team like the Stealers only makes our team stronger going forward, and we have been lucky enough to play them three times this season. Our girls played incredible all weekend.” Kaelyn White (2-3, double, run scored), Lila Mitchell (1-2, walk, run scored), Sarah Murphy (1-2, walk, run scored), Kenzie Arsenault (1-2, walk) and Sydney Halliwell (1-3, triple, run scored) led the Eagles at the plate. Pitching-wise, Halliwell started and gave up five earned runs on five hits and one walk in one inning. She had one strikeout. Emily Reynolds worked three innings, allowing four runs (three earned), five hits, three walks and striking out two.
Eagles 6 She Devils 4
Eryn Hustler’s two-out hit in extra innings drove in the eventual winning run against a She Devils’ team that was 15-1 on the season as the Eagles overcame a 4-1 deficit in the fourth inning. Murphy (2-3), Hannah Sentner (2-3, double, two runs scored), Mitchell (1-2, two walks, run scored), Jessica Turbide (1-2, walk) and Hustler (1-4) were tops at the dish for the Eagles. Halliwell earned the pitching win in relief of starter Margaret Reynolds, who gave up four runs (one earned), six hits, two walks and had two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Halliwell’s summary read 2 1/3 innings pitched, no runs allowed, one hit, no free passes and two strikeouts.
Eagles 7 Rampage 1
Hustler (2-3, home run, two runs scored, two runs batted in), White (2-3, two doubles, two runs scored), Halliwell (2-2, five runs batted in) and Kassie Birt (2-2, triple, run scored) all had multiplehit games for the Eagles. Halliwell earned the completegame win. She granted one earned run on four hits and one walk while fanning three.
Eagles 10 Cole Harbour 3
White (3-4, two doubles, run scored), Sentner (2-3, run scored, stolen base), winning pitcher Halliwell (2-3, run scored) and Hustler (2-4, run scored) ignited the Eagles’ offence. Halliwell gave up three earned runs, five hits, one walk and finished with seven strikeouts in six innings.
Scotia Storm 6 Eagles 4
Mitchell (3-4, double), White (2-4, double, run scored), Murphy (2-4, run scored) and Arsenault (2-3, walk, run scored, stolen base) were the offensive catalysts for the Eagles. Margaret Reynolds took the pitching loss. She allowed five earned run, six hits, five walks and registered two strikeouts in five innings.
Eagles 6 Rampage 5
Emily Reynolds, whose line read five earned runs, 12 hits, two walks and four strikeouts in seven innings, picked up the pitching victory. She also helped her own cause at the plate with a 1-for-2 performance, including a walk and run scored. Murphy (2-3, double) and Turbide (1-3, triple, run scored) also chipped in offensively.