May 27 Zone IV Fastpitch Playoffs

By Delores Smith

On the road to Portage la Prairie at 6:30 am to play in their 1st game of a double elimination format at the Zone 4 Final 4 tournamnt.  Blues drew West Division top team Portage - last year's Provincial winners. It was a well played match with Blues losing 4-0.  Despite a great effort, Coryn Pankratz took the loss.  She allowed 6 hits; struck out 3 batters and walked batters.  Blues struggled to make it on base managing only 3 hits: Kristen Giesbrecht, Carlie Giesbrecht, and Jamie Froese.

Game two matched up the Blues with the Carman squad, who were defeated 6-1 by Miller Aces.  Again, the Blues' bats were silent - this time against Carman's pitching.    Singles were managed by Raven Nickel, Coryn Pankratz, and a double by Melissa Klippenstein.  Carman scored single points in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings.  Blues rallied with two runs of their own in the 5th, only to fall  short 3-2 at game's end.  Carlie Giesbrecht pitched 5 innings, giving up 5 hits, striking out 5 and issuing 2 walks.

Although the season ended on a losing note, it was a successful season for the Blues.  Zone 4 is one of the most competitive zones to play out of in the province.  Kudos to the Blues for making it 3 years in a row.  Larry Reimer and Paige Smith did an outstanding job coaching the bases.