Staff
It started out as a promising night for the Manitou T-Birdies offensively.
One pitching change changed all that.
Manitou scored six runs in the first inning and only one more in the next six as the Couchiching Lady Raiders powered their way to a 23-7 victory over the T-Birdies in Manitou as part of this past Monday’s action in the Rainy River District Women’s Fastball League.
Couchiching (2-1) scored four runs in the top of the inning off T-Birdies pitcher Bev Cochrane (1-2), making her last start before reigning league MVP Tracy Morningstar returns to the team tonight to make her Manitou debut on the road against Sabaskong Tebinaak after missing the first three games (personal).
The T-Birdies (1-2) responded with a half-dozen of their own in the bottom of the frame against emergency starter Jen Singleton, who valiantly stepped up at the last minute to make her first career appearance on the mound as a fill-in for the late-arriving Sydney Jones.
Singleton’s control around the plate was not where she wanted it to be and after back-to-back walks brought in the sixth Manitou run, she switched spots with regular shortstop Stephanie Racine, who hadn’t pitched this season and just once last season.
Racine (1-0) used a crackling fastball to blank the Manitou hitters over the next four innings and also received some superb defence behind her.
That included a double play initiated by second baseman Dianna Singleton on a great line drive snag and subsequent toss to Jen Singleton covering at second to nab the runner trying to get back there.
Meanwhile, the Lady Raiders proceeded to get the bats going and cashed in 12 consecutive runs over the next four innings, with Courtney Easton supplying multiple key hits as part of the run..
Jones took over in the fifth and allowed just one run in three innings, while Couchiching jumped on reliever Summer Leonard for seven runs in their final at-bat in the waning daylight of dusk.
In other games on Monday, the Fort Frances Her-icanes (3-0) moved into sole possession of first place overall with a narrow 7-5 win over the host Northwest Bay Beavers (0-2-1).
Laureen Hill (2-0) outduelled Darcy Smith (0-2-1) in the mound matchup between the last two league champions (‘Canes last year, Beavers in 2015).
The Big Grassy Lynx continued to reap dividends from the folding of the Big Island Wildcats before this season.
Former Wildcats ace Candace Handorgan (2-0-1) delivered another strong effort from the hill as the Lynx (2-0-1) inched up to second place past the idle Emo Renegades (2-0) by holding off the Fort Frances Mud Dogs 10-7 in Big Grassy.
Another Big Island import, Roxanne Handorgan, smacked her first homer of the year off Mud Dogs starter Rachelle Yeo (1-1) as the Fort (1-1) dropped its first contest of the season.
Former Muskie girls hockey teammates Kaily Greengrass and Shelby Tymkin each belted their first fence rockets of the campaign.
The Red Gut Babes (1-2) got themselves into the win column with a tight 12-10 triumph over the Dawson Tigers (0-3).
Alyssa Windego (1-2) picked up the pitching victory despite giving up Shannon Stone’s first four-bagger of the season, while Alicia Anderson (0-2) took the loss for the last-place Tigers.
Sabaskong (0-1) and the Fort Frances Angels (1-1) rescheduled their game to what will be the only league contest this holiday Monday at the St. Francis Sports Field at 6:30 p.m. after Tebinaak was unable to have enough available players due to other commitments.
Tonight’s other games will see the Mud Dogs entertain Red Gut at St. Francis Sports Field, while Emo welcomes the Fort Frances Angels to town.
The ‘Canes will travel to Big Grassy with the winner guaranteed to hold top spot in the standings by the end of the night, while Couchiching journeys to Northwest Bay and Manitou visits Sabaskong.
All games are slated to begin at 6:30 p.m.
