Staff
On a rain-soaked night, it was the Fort Frances Mud Dogs who stood the tallest.
The host Mud Dogs were able to outlast the Couchiching Raiders as they rallied to claim a narrow 16-15 decision on Monday in a Rainy River District Women’s Fastball League make-up game for the one that was postponed last Wednesday (July 17).
After the Raiders (13-2) erupted for four runs to open the game on Mud Dogs’ starter Casey Meyers, Rachelle Yeo smacked an RBI single off Raiders’ starter Grace Bragg to trim it to 4-1.
Singleton then came through with a two-run single in the second to put her side up by five.
The Mud Dogs (6-7-2) then scored a run on a wild pitch with the bases loaded in the third to trim it to 6-2.
But the Raiders responded with a four-run fourth to lead 10-2.
The Mud Dogs replied with three runs of their own in the bottom half, however, to trim the deficit to 10-5.
Yeo then took over on the pitching rubber for Meyers in the fifth, giving up a leadoff walk to Megan Finlayson but retiring the side in order after that.
The Mud Dogs responded to that solid pitching in kind in the bottom half.
Fort Frances got on the bats quickly and pounded out six runs to forge ahead 11-10 for its first lead of the night.
Erika Jourdain then led off the sixth with a triple to deep left field before coming home on a wild pitch the next at-bat to knot it up.
The Raiders then plated four more runs as they went ahead again 15-11.
But the Mud Dogs put the nail in the coffin of the Raiders in their half of the sixth.
Amy Penner and Shelby Tymkin smacked back-to-back singles to open the frame, with Penner scoring on a bad throw to trim it to 15-12.
Yeo then clubbed an RBI triple before an RIBI single by Hood made it a one-run game.
After another run-scoring single knotted it up, Meyers came into score on a wild pitch to make it 16-15.
With the Raiders trying to get that run back in the seventh, the game was called due to lightning and the Mud Dogs were awarded the win.
Meyers garnered the pitching win over Bragg.
In other make-up games on Monday for the ones that were rained out last Wednesday, the Renegades rolled to a convincing 13-2 win over the Dawson Tigers.
Karma Andy garnered the win for the Renegades (14-1) over Alicia Anderson of the Tigers (5-10).
The Fort-Frances Her-icanes rolled to a 11-1 win over the Fort Frances Angels at VanJura.
Mariah Leahy picked up the win for the Her-icanes (11-3-1) over Rylee Redford of the Angels (4-9-2).
Darcy Smith pitched a gem to pace the Northwest Bay Beavers (11-4) to a 7-1 win over the Red Gut Babes.
Tracy Morningstar was saddled with the loss for the Babes (2-10-3).
The Sabaskong Tebinaak (4-11) were awarded a 7-0 forfeit win as the Manitou T-Birdies (2-11) could not field enough players.
The Big Grassy Lynx (8-6-1) had the bye.
On Friday night, the Lynx routed the Tebinaak in a make-up game for the one that was postponed back on July 8.
Canadace Handorgan garnered the pitching win over Rochelle Jack.
The first round of the RRDWFL playoffs is set to kick off tonight, which the league released the schedule for yesterday.
The eighth-seeded Tigers will welcome the ninth-ranked Tebinaak to Pinewood, the sixth-seeded Mud Dogs will host the last-place T-Birdies at the St. Francis Sports Field, and the seventh-ranked Angels will square off against the 10th-seeded Babes.
All games will start at 7 p.m. (weather permitting).
The Renegades, Raiders, Her-icanes, Beavers, and Lynx all have byes to the second round as the top-ranked teams.
As well, the league also announced that its annual all-star game will take place this Sunday (July 28) at 7:30 p.m. in Couchiching.
The one all-star team will be coached by Kayla Windigo of the Babes.
The roster is comprised of Grace Bragg, Karma Andy, Mykenzie Borger, Savanna Prince, Sarah Glover, Darcy Jones, Courtney Easton, Lynn Indian, Kendra Moen, Alyssa Windego, Taylor Pagee, Jan Andy, Taylor Windego and Calleigh Councillor.
The other all-star squad will be coached by Stacy Patey of the Her-icanes.
Her roster features Marissa Kerry, Rylee Redford, Rayne Gibbons, Shae Smith, Savvy McGinnis, Raelle Redford, Mariah Leahy, Cassidy Teeple, Laurie Brown, Steph Legree, Kamryn Sandelovich, Hailey Bombay, Summer Leonard, and Nancy Indian.
