Eastern Canadian women’s ch’ship starts Friday
O’LEARY – A mix of junioraged players and young adults comprise the host team’s roster for the 2019 Eastern Canadian intermediate women’s softball championship in O’Leary from Aug. 16 to 18.
The Township Tigers, made up of players from West Prince to Summerside, will host two Nova Scotia teams and a team from Quebec in the weekend tournament, which features a double round-robin format and the top two teams will advance to the championship game Sunday afternoon.
Versatile 17-year-old pitcher, catcher and fielder Ally Hustler is relaxed going into the tournament. She doesn’t know any of the Tigers’ opponents but that’s okay, she admits. She feels the Tigers are ready.
They won O’Leary’s Spudchucker tournament in the Women’s Open Division back in May and while they ran into some tough teams in a recent tournament in Maine, she feels it was a learning experience from which the team can build on.
Seventeen-year-old shortstop Lauren Lilly cautions teams against taking the Tigers youthfulness for granted.
“We’re good for our age,” said a grinning Hustler.
Hustler pitched the Westisle Wolverines to the provincial championship title in P.E.I. School Athletic Association Senior Girls Softball League back in June. Her mother, April Hustler, along with Katie Rayner, coached the high school team. April Hustler and Wendy McCue are coaching the Tigers and Rayner moves from coach to player.
HOST SITE
All games in the three-day tournament are scheduled to be played on O’Leary’s Ellis Field, located 81 Gaspe Road. Tournament organizer Andrew Avery said the field is in great shape and summer staff and volunteers are ready to host.
If rain becomes a factor, Ellsworth Field at 426 Main Street in O’Leary will also be used.
Games start Friday at noon. The Tigers play their first game at 2 p.m. against Nova Scotia Team One and are back on the field at 6:30 p.m., following the opening ceremonies, to take on Nova Scotia Team Two.
There are five games on Saturday’s schedule starting at 10 a.m., and every two hours thereafter.
The round robin winds up on Sunday with games at 9 and 11 a.m. If no tiebreakers are needed, the championship final will go Sunday at 1:30 p.m. If a tiebreaker is needed, the championship final moves to 3:30 p.m. Sunday.