The Palmerston Squirt Marlins travelled as a team to Byron on Aug. 22 and 23 where they participated in the provincial tournament at Byron Optimist Park. Leading up to this date the team, which plays out of Palmerston, had travelled to tournaments in Cambridge, Niagara Falls and Innerkip.
Made up of Squirt players from surrounding communities, this group of girls was coached by Mary Iles, Pat Ash and Mike Tisdale. Each week the team gathered in Palmerston to practice their skills, as well as play on hometown minor ball teams, as required by PWSA.
In Byron, beginning early Saturday morning, the team met up with Guelph on the diamond to start things off. After winning this game (13-4), they continued along to play against Niagara Falls (9-3) and Vaughn (16-1), sweeping both games with solid wins.
The girls knew that it was “do or die” to advance to a medal game, with the only way to earn a chance for gold being to place first in their pool. They took this challenge and met it head on. Sunday the team had one opposing team left to play before finals and they were again triumphant, this time against Oakville (15-0).
Palmerston went to the gold medal game against the Burlington Bees on Sunday afternoon, having gone undefeated in the tournament. The bats were not so hot for the girls in the medal game and their winning streak came to an end, losing to the ‘A’ side winners and bringing home silver.
Playing for the team this summer were Meghan Ash (Fordwich), Jordyn Johnston (Brussels), Chloe Kaye (Palmerston), Madyson Head (Palmerston), Daphnie More (Palmerston), Brooklyn Officer (Mount Forest), Billie Martin (Formosa), Rachel Lee (Drayton), Raegan Cressman (Drayton), Rachel Tisdale (Mount Forest), Syd Iles (Mount Forest), and Sarah Culp (Drayton). AP’ing for the team was Elizabeth Mallet (Palmerston) and leading in fan support was Peyton McBeth (Palmerston) who played the first tournament of the season with the girls, before breaking her leg.
The players wish to thank all of their fans who followed them from diamond to diamond, including the parents and siblings, the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins as well as the many friends who came out to cheer the Squirts on along their journey. The team also thanks its sponsors.
