With some of the top teams in the province in town for the Moose Jaw and District Minor Girls Fastball AA Tournament this weekend, all three Moose Jaw Ice entries were looking to get off to a fast start on Friday night.
Only the U15 AA Ice were able to do so, though, picking up a 3-2 win over the Lumsden Cubs in their opener at Optimist Park. The U17 AA Ice dropped a 9-5 decision to the Regina Royals and the U13 AA Ice fell 3-2 to the Regina Fighting Saints.
The U15 Ice looked like they were going to have an easy go of it after the first inning, as they put up three runs and took a quick 3-0 lead, thanks in part to a home run off the bat of Tara Bell.
As it turns out, that would be their only offence in the day, and when Lumsden picked up single runs in the second and sixth innings, it made for a tense finish. Ice reliever Avery Garthus was up to the task, though, shutting down the Cubs in the final inning to secure the win.
It was a solid showing by both Ice aces, as starter Taryn Friesen went four innings and allowed a run while scattering three hits and striking out six before Garthus tossed the final three, allowing a run on two hits and also striking out six.
Bell and Friesen each finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored and RBI, while Charlize Hillmer also had two hits.
The U15 Ice continue their round robin Saturday against the Melfort Spirit at 2 p.m. and Regina Royals at 8:30 p.m.
The U17 Ice didn’t have as much luck, as Regina scored in every inning, including three in the sixth, to secure their four-run win.
Callie Klemenz was 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored, while Ava Unser was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
Haily Molde got the start for Moose Jaw and allowed six runs on eight hits and five walks over four innings, while Peyton Mengel allowed three runs on three hits and struck out three over the final two innings.
Their round robin continues Saturday against the Storm at 8:30 a.m. and Lumsden Cubs at 2:30 p.m.
Scoring details were unavailable for the U13 AA Ice. They’re back on the field at 9 a.m. Saturday against the Regina Royals Rush before finishing the round robin against the Meadow Lake Sox at 1 p.m.
