It was a perfect day for the U13 AAA Eastman Wildcats as they opened their tournament with a pair of wins, starting the tournament 2-0 in Abbotsford, British Columbia
Determination the highlight
Winning the first game 13-2, coach Jason Plett says things got a little more challenging in the second game, and his highlight of the day was how the girls responded, never getting down, and finding a way to come back and win 15-13. "Our second game, that crazy game against the Melfort Spirit, they were the Saskatchewan provincial champ for this year, so their SK1 at Westerns. We jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first half of the first inning, but they responded with max five run inning in the bottom half. I could see our girls were a bit deflated after that. With those five runs, Melfort had a grand slam over the fence home run. Our girls rallied, they responded with their own five run inning in the top of the second, and we didn't look back from there. Bats were on fire. Melfort used three pitchers, and all three threw really hard, into the 50 mph range. I was very happy with how the girls responded, and battled hard throughout that whole entire game."
Came prepared to work and win
Coming into the tournament, Plett says the team was committed to being ready to hit the ground running, a testament to their mental toughness. "It's fantastic," he says with a big, proud smile. "You could see from our first game warmup, there were lots of nerves. Our throwing and fielding practice, our hitting, it wasn't top notch, but I could see it was the nerves. Once that first pitch was thrown, they were locked in and ready to go. It was a really, really good day for them.
All for one, one for all
Another point of pride for Plett and the coaches was that every player helped in some way get the team to 2-0, something that this group has done all year. "100%, everyone has a role on the team, whether it's on the field defensively, or at bat, or on the bench if it was your time to sit during the game, everyone has taken their role on very well. They've been encouraging, and it's been a fantastic experience so far."
In the drivers seat
Being 2-0 is exactly where Plett hoped they would be, and he says it hasn't shifted focus at all. "2-0 to start is absolutely huge," he says excitedly. "Beating two good teams like we did yesterday. Today, we have another two tough teams, Alberta 1, the Alberta provincial champs, and Saskatoon in our second game, they're Saskatchewan 2. Both these teams we've faced in an earlier tournament in Saskatoon back in May, and we lost to both of these teams. I know the girls have that on their minds, and they're ready to give a bit of payback. I'm hoping we can come out today with two more wins, then we're really, really set heading into Saturday. I'm looking forward to a good day.
Moments appreciated, but not overwhelming
After spending so much time thinking about this tournament, Plett says the group never let the moments get too big, they've soaked it all in, while knowing there's a job to do. "We had a goal in mind at the start of the season to make Western's, and we succeeded in that. They've really been able to enjoy each other's company, not just on the ball diamond, but during the down time, whether it's at the hotel, finding hiking trails, or swimming, all that fun stuff. It's team bonding, and it's absolutely incredible.
Schedule
The Wildcats play Alberta 1 at 11:00 a.m. central time, then follow that up with a game against Saskatchewan 2 at 2:00 p.m. central time.