It was another exciting day of ball at Southward Community Park as teams played through the playoff round with only three team remaining for the medal round on Friday.
 
New Brunswick 4 vs. Prince Edward Island 3
 
The day started with the seventh-place game between the neighbouring Maritime provinces. New Brunswick got out to an early lead with a run-scoring double by Cailtyn Allen in the top of the first inning, but Team PEI responded by scoring two runs on a single by Belle Ashley and a pair of New Brunswick errors. New Brunswick regained the lead in the second when Kate Parker led off with a double followed by a single by Emily Dixon before a pair of sacrifice flies plated two runs. The score remained 3-2 until the bottom of the fifth when PEI’s Lindsey Drover led off with a single and later scored on a single by Ally Hustler. The game went into the eight inning with New Brunswick scoring their international tiebreaker runner from second after she was bunted over to third and sacrificed in to score. PEI’s runner stole third but was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice, and New Brunswick got a pop out and a ground out to end the game.
 
Ontario 10 vs. Alberta 0
 
Ontario scored runs in every inning to earn the win in four innings. In the top of the first, Michaela Tuck doubled and Kaitlyn Kim singled before both came in to score on a single by Sierra Baltzer. The following inning, Katina Duscio hit a two-run homerun to right, then loaded the bases in the third before Amy Hughes hit a base-clearing double. Ontario then put the first two runners on base in the fourth before Baltzer hit an RBI single, followed by a sacrifice fly and another run-scoring single by Deanna Grahek to round out the scoring. Tierney Hocquard held Alberta to only two hits and struck out five for the shutout win. Gabriela Coderre and Katelyn Jeglum each singled for Alberta.
 
Saskatchewan 4 vs. Manitoba 3
 
Saskatchewan opened the scoring in the bottom of the first by loading the bases on a single by Makena Simmons, an error and an intentional walk before getting a sacrifice fly. Manitoba responded immediately, getting a single by Alexa Guilford and a walk before Abbi Conrad hit a two-run single. Saskatchewan tied the game on an RBI double by Raivyn Millions, then took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a run-scoring triple by Simmons before adding an insurance run on an error in the fifth. Down to their final at-bat, Manitoba got two singles by Annabeth Carlberg and Janique Balcaen before scoring their third run on a sacrifice fly, but a strikeout and ground out ended the game. Jorde Chartrand picked up the win in the pitcher’s circle, while Danika Nell took the loss.
 
British Columbia 7 vs. Quebec 0
 
In the battle between the first-place teams in each pool, British Columbia continued on their roll behind a dangerous offensive lineup and the arm of Morgan Reimer. Quebec led off the game with a triple by Naomi Cohen, but Reimer struck out the next three batters to leave the runner stranded at third. In the bottom of the inning, Ellie Vance led off with a single and scored on a two-run blast by Camryn Milley. Team BC added to its lead in the bottom of the third, as Vance singled and scored on a triple by Ry Binne. A sacrifice fly brought Binne in to score, followed by a homerun to left by Madelyn McKinnon. In the fifth, Milley singled and later scored on a single by Reimer, followed by a run-scoring single by Gabriela Papushka to end the game on the run rule. Reimer allowed only two hits and struck out 11 batters in five innings.
 
Alberta 5 vs. Manitoba 3
 
Both teams came into the fifth-place game after hard-fought losses earlier in the day. The game was scoreless through two innings before Alberta scored the game’s first run on an error. Manitoba took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Janaya Watt led off with a single followed by an error before a pair of ground outs brought both runners in to score. Alberta put two runners on base in the top of the sixth before Tobi Topp hit a two-run triple to left. A single by Mackenzie Beaudoin scored Topp, with another run later scoring on an error as Alberta took a 5-2 lead. Janique Balcaen led off the bottom of the inning with a double and scored on a ground out, but Manitoba was unable to get any closer. Emily Watters earned the pitching win.
 
Ontario 5 vs. Saskatchewan 4
 
In another fantastic matchup, Ontario faced Saskatchewan with both teams’ medal hopes on the line. Ontario got on the board early, as leadoff batter Katina Duscio tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly. After getting out of a bases loaded jam in the second, Saskatchewan tied the game when Kristen Davyduke led off with a single and later scored on a double steal. Saskatchewan jumped out to a 3-1 lead on a two-run homerun by Raegan Walter in the bottom of the fourth, but Ontario’s bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth. They loaded the bases with three singles before Deanna Grahek delivered a two-run single, followed by an RBI ground out and a run-scoring double by Katie Lorenz to make the score 5-3. In the bottom of the seventh, Jorde Chartrand singled up the middle followed by an RBI double by Davyduke, but a fly out and a ground out ended an exciting game. Sasha Buckberger got the win for Ontario allowing one run over three innings of relief, with Chartrand being charged with the loss.
 
The Women’s Softball competition will finish on Friday, with the bronze-medal game between Quebec and Ontario scheduled for 10:30am EDT with the winner of that game advancing to play British Columbia in the gold-medal game at 1:30pm EDT.
 
All games can be watched at: https://niagara2022games.ca/watch/sport/softball