Galway was in a strong position to claim a second straight women’s fastpitch softball tournament title Sunday, that is until the elements intervened.
With the scored tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth of the team’s Lloyd Poirier Memorial Tournament championship game against the Nova Scotia-based Stealers, umpires called the game when heavy rain and lightning rolled into Lantz in Hants County, N.S.
The host committee is still determining how they’ll conclude the game, but one option on the table would see the teams resume the contest when they meet at the 2019 Canadian women’s fastpitch championship in St. John’s next month. The Stealers are the N.S. entry.
Galway made it to the championship game in much the same fashion as they cruised through last weekend’s Softball Newfoundland and Labrador provincial championship in Holyrood — undefeated and handily besting their opponents.
Andrea Wolf’s squad was 4-0 in the round robin, outscoring opponents 38-4 with every game called on the seven-run mercy rule in five innings or fewer.
In Sunday’s cross-over semifinal, played in 33 degree weather that felt close to 40 in the humidity, Galway was gifted a win when the Township Tigers U19 bench, down 7-0 in the second inning, forfeited due to the heat and injuries.
In the round-robin, Galway bested the Dartmouth She-Devils 10-1, routed the Scotia Storm U19 team 11-1, blanked the Eastern Braves U19s 8-0 and shut down the P.E.I. Masters 9-2.
That was the final tune-up tourney before Galway plays host to nationals Aug. 14-18 at Victoria Park and Lions Park. More event information regarding the eight visiting teams and tickets prices is expected to be announced in the coming days and will be found at www.softball.ca/womens and facebook.com/CanadianWomensFastPitchChampionships2019/