Slo-pitch glory

Confident team wins mixed tournament

Steph Adam’s team came out with a year’s worth of bragging rights after taking it all in the Mixed Slo-Pitch Tournament.

Organized by Wabush Ladies Slo-Pitch Fun League, the tournament pitted five mixed men’s and ladies’ teams. Steph Adam’s team won against Pam Coombs’ team 10-9 in the championship game played at a Wabush ballpark Aug. 14.

According to Steph Adam, her team came in extremely cocky and she thinks it’s how they won.

“We started a group on Facebook and our friends decided they wanted to play, so that was our team,” she said. “We’ve been playing in the tournament for the past seven years, but we had a new team and everybody just kind of came together and played their best.”

“It’s a fun tournament, so whatever happened in the end, it didn’t matter,” said Vanessa Peddle, team pitcher. “We just wanted to have a game of ball.”

Adam said the last inning was the most difficult when her team was down by four runs, but Beth-Anne Pinkson took a walk for the team and got a run-in, and then Kyle Hannebury got a hit, bringing everyone else home and winning the game.

They had so much fun, so Adam thinks she’ll definitely put a team in another mixed tournament happening in Labrador City on Labour Day Weekend.

Anne Greene, president of the Wabush Ladies Slo-Pitch Fun League, said it took quite a bit of work, but the tournament was pulled off successfully.

“We had one team that lost all of them, but they all left the field happy and laughing,” she said. “That’s all it is to me – to make sure everybody has fun.”

“There were really no surprises,” she added. “The teams were all pretty even. Everybody who plays in this tournament, the guys and the girls, are all ball players and want to come out and have a good time, but they still have a high level of ability and skill to play.”

She said she introduced a new mat to the game usually used in slo-pitch games and Adam confirmed that it made the calls a lot more clear-cut.

The tournament was also the league’s fundraiser and the winning team walked away with gear from Molson.

SIDEBAR

Mixed Slo-Pitch Tournament

(Teams named by captains)

Steph Adam vs. Lora Brown 5-5

Pam Coombs vs. Brittany Benoit 25-1

Steph Adam vs. LeeAnn Haire 11-9

Lora Brown vs. Pam Coombs 11-13

LeeAnn Haire vs. Brittany Benoit 7-2

Steph Adam vs. Pam Coombs 4-12

Lora Brown vs. LeeAnn Haire 4-18