The S. Elliott Masonry U9 girls fastball team competed in their year end tournament and got a silver medal in the B division. Early Saturday morning Mitchell beat Exeter #2 4 - 1. It was a slow start but in the third inning and second time through the order Shaylyn Smith doubled with two outs and Brooklyn Smith cashed her in with a double of her own to take a 1 - 0 lead. In the next inning doubles by Maria Marshall and Madison Ahrens, with two rbi's, increased the lead to 4 - 0. Emma Elliott also had and rbi. Esme Bakewell and B. Smith both pitched two innings while B. Smith and S. Smith made nice defensive plays for outs at 1st and 3rd base.
Next up was Goderich, Willa Schoonderwoerd hit a double and Abilene Gordner had a rbi to score Ahrens for the only run for Mitchell in a 7 - 1 loss. Elliott made a great defensive out at 1st base.
In their third game of the day against Stratford, the Hornets were down 2 - 0 but roared right back in the bottom of the 1st inning with six hits and three runs. S. Smith, Lilah Payne-McCleary and Bakewell all scored runs. Gordner scored the next inning and Marshall scored the inning after that for a 5 -3 win. Payne-McCleary made a key out at 1st base to slow the Stratford rally in the final inning.
For their fourth game of the day and after a length delay the girls finished by playing under the lights against North Middlesex. Elliott, Amellia Valiance and Ahren all pitched during the game to give the regular pitchers a rest. Valiance had a big hit in the first inning to score Gordner and S. Smith and give Mitchell an early lead. But in didn't last and in the top of the final inning North Middlesex rallied to score three runs and take the lead. Marshall came away with a bases loaded hit to score Payne-McCleary and B. Smith in walk off fashion for a 4 - 3 win. Valiance and Olivia Eidt made nice defensive outs at 1st base and shortstop.
On Sunday in the B final Mitchell faced off against Goderich once again on a cool and windy morning. Ahrens led the game off with a solid hit but couldn't come around to score. B. Smith made a great defensive play at 1st base for the second out of the first inning but Goderich followed that up with four more hits and took a 4 - 0 lead. Eidt led off the top of the second inning with a hit and scored on B. Smith's double and she scored on Valiance's double to make the game 4 - 2. But that was as close as Mitchell could get in a 8 - 2 loss.
The coaches are proud of the girls efforts, dedication and improvement that made for a fun year of fastball.