Joey Payeur
The Big Grassy Lynx watched an early five-run lead disappear in the face of a Fort Frances Herricanes’ rally.
Then the Lynx remembered they have a pretty powerful offence themselves.
Fifth-seeded Big Grassy erupted for 18 runs over the final four innings to waltz to a 24-12 win over the third-ranked Herricanes last night at VanJura to eliminate Fort Frances from the Rainy River District Women’s Fastball League playoffs.
The Herricanes stumbled out of the gate as the Lynx jumped out to a 5-0 lead.
Fort Frances, who made it to last year’s final, responded with three in the bottom of the frame.
The Herricanes then surged ahead with five in the second—sparked by Stacy Patey’s two-run triple—to lead 8-6.
But after starter Laureen Hill worked a 1-2-3 third
inning, the wheels came off the Herricanes’ bus.
Big Grassy sent 12 batters to the plate in a seven-run fourth inning to go up 13-8 and never looked back.
Winning pitcher Nancy Indian walked four and fanned 11 in her complete-game effort.
She also shone at the plate, going 3-for-4 while driving in four runs.
Big Grassy now will head to Redgut on Monday to take on the top-ranked and defending champion Babes, who ousted visiting Sabaskong Tebinaak from further contention with a 16-2 win last night.
Meanwhile, the fourth-ranked Manitou Blaze pulled off their second shocker in three days with a 9-8 road win over second-seeded Northwest Bay to earn a berth in the league final.
Karma Andy outduelled Darcy Smith to get the win for the Blaze, who had surprised host Redgut 9-7 on Monday.
In Rainy River District Fastball League action from Tuesday, fifth-seeded Beef’s Warriors kept their title hopes alive with a 5-4 win at Couchiching over 10th-ranked Stratton.
Tyson Williams, who earned the complete-game victory, delivered an inside-the-park home run in the sixth off losing pitcher Guy Arpin to break a 4-4 tie.
The Warriors next will face the third-seeded Sight & Sound Wolves this Tuesday (Aug. 19) at 6:30 p.m. at VanJura.
The Wolves drilled the fourth-seeded Dawson Tigers 16-4 this past Tuesday at VanJura, with Cole Tymkin’s sixth-inning grand slam serving as the exclamation point.
John Desaulniers earned the win despite giving up homers to Luc Desserre, Tom Armstrong, and Matt Godin.
Jaden Gustafson took the loss.
The winner between the Wolves and Warriors will visit Barwick next Thursday to take on the Blue Knights in the semi-final.
The two-time defending champion and top-seeded Big Grassy Braves will host the survivor of that game in the league final Aug. 26.
Should the Braves lose that game, they will get a second shot at a “three-peat” on Aug. 28 as they’ve yet to lose in the double-elimination playoff format.
