Joey Payeur
Early-game misery, mid-game heroics, late-inning drama.
The Fort Frances Her-icanes followed the same path two games in a row—and both times it worked.
A five-run fifth inning proved to be the difference last night as the top-ranked ’Canes beat the sixth-seeded Red Gut Babes 9-7 last night at VanJura to claim their first Rainy River District Women’s Fastball League title.
The ’Canes forced a second-and-deciding game for the league crown after beating the Babes 9-6 last Wednesday in Red Gut.
The Babes scored twice in the top of the fifth to break a 4-4 tie.
But the bottom of the Her-icanes’ batting order led the charge back in front of a crowd jammed into the bleachers.
“We worked really hard and it all came together,” noted Caylee Woolsey, whose RBI triple scored Laureen Hill to start the pivotal rally.
“Most of us have played together since the beginning and it’s good that we all peaked at the same time.”
Red Gut had jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning—only to see the home squad respond quickly when Jess Woodgate belted a drive to right field that turned into a two-run, inside-the-park homer.
The ’Canes added another run in the second, then one more in the fourth to tie the score before Lynn Windego’s RBI single and Beulah Perreault’s RBI groundout put the Babes back in front in the fifth.
But defensive lapses reared their ugly heads in the bottom half for Red Gut, who played without starting corner infielders Gail Windego (first base) and Anita Johnson (third base) due to injuries suffered in Game 1.
After Woolsey’s triple, two errors on the same ground ball allowed both Woolsey and Amy Penner to score to make it 7-6 for the regular-season champs.
RBI groundouts by Dana Ward and Tracy Morningstar extended the lead to 9-6.
Red Gut managed one in the seventh on Kayla Windigo’s grounder to score Taylor Windego.
But the 2013 and 2014 league champs saw their dream of a third title die when Morningstar—who came over from Red Gut during the off-season—fielded Lynn Windego’s grounder to the mound and tossed it to Woolsey at first for the final out.
“We were hoping to do what we’ve done in past years,” noted Kayla Windigo.
“But being sixth at the end of the regular season, reaching the final was our goal,” she added.
“I’m very happy.”
