Staff
An inning after an insect attack, Kayla Windego delivered a sting of her own that proved fatal to the Northwest Bay Beavers’ season.
Windego tripled home the tying run with two out, then wound up scoring on the play after the Beavers’ second error of the inning gave the host Red Gut Babes a nail-biting 14-13 triumph over the Beavers on Saturday in the Losers’ Side semi-final of the Rainy River District Women’s Fastball League.
The Babes now will aim to make their fifth-straight championship final when they host the only team to beat them so far this post-season, the Dawson Tigers, in the Losers’ Side final tonight at 6 p.m.
Northwest Bay broke a 12-12 tie in the top of the seventh when Isabel Smith singled home Emma Smith to put the Beavers in position to pull off the upset.
But winning pitcher Tracy Morningstar reached base to lead off the bottom half of the frame after her grounder gave shortstop Trish Smith some difficulty.
Morningstar stole second, then advanced to third on Taylor Windego’s groundout.
That gave Kayla Windego the chance for the storybook ending after she received a nasty bug bite on her arm while playing catcher in the top of the sixth that caused a delay while she iced down the affected area.
Windego got hold of a high fastball from Beavers’ ace Darcy Smith, who went the distance in a valiant effort on a scorcher of an afternoon.
The ball sailed over the head of Emma Smith in centre and rolled to the fence to bring in Morningstar easily.
The outfielder dropped the ball trying to pick it up and then bounced the relay throw to Trish Smith.
Instantly, the Babes’ captain put aside all thoughts of stopping and beat the throw home by three strides as her teammates poured off the bench to celebrate.
Northwest Bay broke out on top against Babes’ starter Lynn Windego–building a 4-3 lead after three innings before Morningstar arrived to take over the rubber in the fourth.
The gap widened to 7-3 in the fourth after Shae Smith doubled home Val and Emma Smith, then sprinted home herself when the ball eluded Taylor Windego in centre.
But the Babes scored the next eight runs, including four in the fourth on back-to-back RBI singles by Taylor and Kayla Windego that tied it at 7-7.
Morningstar then put a fly ball just over Teresa Smith in left to cash in Anita Johnson and Krystal Windego to put the Babes in front 9-7 as part of a four-run fifth.
Mel Jones singled home Morningstar and then came in herself on Kayla Windego’s drive to put Red Gut up 11-7.
The Beavers chewed through that lead almost immediately with five runs in the sixth to lead 12-11.
The last three came across on another outfield miscue as Darcy Smith’s hard shot to left cashed in Connie and Teresa Smith, then snuck past Krystal Windego to give the Northwest Bay hurler time to make it home.
Redemption came for the Babes’ outfielder in the bottom of the sixth, though, as her grounder was enough to bring in Johnson from third with the equalizer.
The winner of tonight’s matchup will head to VanJura here Wednesday for Game 1 of a possible two-game title showdown against the defending champion Fort Frances Her-icanes.
Fort Frances only needs a win on Wednesday, or in Game 2 (if necessary) at the home of the Losers’ Side champion next Monday (Aug. 28), to clinch a repeat.
Either Red Gut or Dawson must beat the ‘Canes twice to dethrone the champs.
