JULIE BERTRAND/Independent reporter
Mother Nature proved intransigent in Sherwood Park, sending torrential rain that shut down the C-level U-12 fastball provincials.
The Stettler squirts had started the tournament strongly, winning 18-7 against the hosts.
“Our 18-7 game was exceptional playing by all of the girls. Rachel Morbeck crushed a ball to center field where she literally got to jog around the bases for her home run,” said Sheri Morbeck, U12 squirts C-level fastball coach.
“We also had home runs by Ally Zitiaruk and Sophie Shepherd. The girls made absolutely zero offensive or defensive mistakes.”
The MVP of the game was Gracie Morbeck and Sophie Shepherd won the team’s Hustle and Heart award.
“We were the only Stettler team to go to provincials this year,” said Morbeck.
The players were in the middle of their second game’s first inning when the sky opened up.
“It was absolutely pouring rain. The diamonds were completely underwater,” said Morbeck.
The provincials were then rescheduled to the penultimate July weekend, venue undecided.
“It will be either Lacombe or Sherwood Park,” said Morbeck.
“Now we, as every other team, have to see if we can still fill the team to go. It’s kind of a chaotic mess.”
Some of the players’ families have scheduled vacations and might be hard-pressed to change dates.
“We have one player for sure that would have to cut her holiday short,” said Morbeck.
“Another player would have to not go visit her grandmother this year in Saskatchewan.”
The coaches want to make sure of the parents’ feelings before committing to the tournament.
“We definitely want to go back to the provincials. We’re just not 100 per cent sure yet if we can make it,” said Morbeck.
She hopes that Sherwood Park will give in and grant hosting duties to Lacombe, which would make for a shorter trip.
“We think we have a good team. We just hope to get back there. We’ll know in a couple of days, I guess,” concluded Morbeck.