14U captures Emerald championship

Laker coach Ken Druyvestein rated the final two games of the SMASH tournament among the best of his coaching career.

In the 14U SMASH championship knotted at eight apiece in the top of the seventh, the Lakers found themselves in a jam when the Calgary-based Kaizen loaded the bases with nobody out. Katelyne Druyvestein would be tasked with taking over duties on the mound in relief and proceded to induce a pop-up, then fired to first base to turn a double play for two outs. The Lakers would wriggle off the hook of their predicament when a groundout to infielder SaVanna Carpentier would douse the flickering flame of detrimental damage.

The seventh inning would remain tied, thereby extending the game into extras which implements the international tie breaker scenario where a team gets a runner placed on second base and three outs to score as many runs as possible. When the Kaizen came up empty, the Lakers routed Gianna Fyant onto second base, who Kallie Finkbeiner hit home for the walkoff win.

#2 Lakers 9, #5 Kaizen- 8

Kaizen (33-10)

Calgary 120 130 10 – 8 17 3

Polson 400 211 01 – 9 16 8

Ellie Thiel (3K), (5.67) Turquoise Pierre (2K), (7) Katelyne Druyvestein and Kallie Finkbeiner . Amy Penner, Jayden Segstro, Brooklyn Knoch and catcher. W – Druyvestein.

CALGARY KAIZEN – Taylor Poole 4H, Leah Allen-Muller (BB), Ashley McNees (BB), Brooklyn Muir (BB)

POLSON LAKERS – Finkbeiner 4-

RBIs – McNees 3, Muir 2; Finkbeiner 4.

In the Emeralds 14U SMASH semi, the score was knotted at two apiece in the bottom of the seventh when SaVanna Carpentier stroked a laser liner into the gap between left and center to plate the runner on second base for the walkoff win.

#2 Lakers 3, #3 Breeze 2 (semi)

Breeze (9-8)

Flathead 020 000 0 – 2 9 0

Polson 200 000 1 – 3 10 1

Emma Anderson (5K) and catcher. Katelyne Druyvestein (3K) and Kallie Finkbeiner.

FLATHEAD BREEZE – Anderson 2H(RBI), Kenna Vanorny 2H(BB,RBI), Alli Kernan (BB)

POLSON LAKERS – Finkbeiner 3H(2RBI), Gianna Fyant (BB)

#2 Lakers 14, #7 C-Falls Rebels 7

Trailing 7-3, the Lakers rallied from a multi-run deficit by turning in a big inning to propel them into the semifinal.

Lakers 8, Calgary Kaizen 5

Miranda Wiedener, (3.33) AJ Smith Brooklyn Knoch and catcher. Katelyne Druyvestein, ( ) Gianna Fyant and Kallie Finkbeiner.

CALGARY KAIZEN – Storm Edwards (BB), Leah Allen-Muller (4RBI)

POLSON LAKERS – Finkbeiner 3 (3RBI), Turquoise Pierre 2, Fyant 3, SaVanna Carpentier (3RBI)

Lakers 16, C-Falls Rebels 2

Lakers 5, Flathead Breeze 1

Breeze (5-7)

Polson 000 500 – 5 11 1

Kalispell 000 01x – 1 9 3

Ellie Thiel (2K) and Kallie Finkbeiner. Sammie Labrum, (5) Emma Anderson and catcher.

POLSON LAKERS – Anna Vert (BB), Katelyne Druyvestein 2, Thiel (BB), Turquoise Pierre (BB), Gianna Fyant 2, Aubrey Marshall 1. (Fr29Jun18)