For the second straight year, the Carnduff-based Â鶹ÊÓƵeast Steelers have won the Women’s Canadian Fast Pitch Championship.
The Steelers defeated Ontario's Oakville Angels 6-3 on Aug. 11 to win the Softball Canada tournament that was held in Blackfalds, Alta., from Aug. 7-11. It marked the second straight year the Steelers beat the Angels in the final.
Oakville grabbed a 3-0 lead in the second inning, and it remained a three-run contest until the sixth inning, when the Steelers scored six times to lead 6-3. Jorde Chartrand hit a single that scored three runs to deliver the biggest blow for the Steelers.
She also thrived on the mound, allowing three runs and seven hits in a complete-game seven-inning effort.
Jordan Kulbida and Michelle Kukurudza each collected two hits for the Steelers in the win.
The Steelers and the Angels were the dominant teams during the week, as they took the top two spots in the round robin. The Angels beat the southeast entry in the round robin, while the Steelers defeated Oakville in the 1-2 page playoff game on Aug. 10 to advance directly to the final the following day.
The Steelers opened the tournament with a 10-1 win over New Brunswick's Oromocto Silverbacks. After giving up the opening run, the Steelers stormed back with 10 straight scores. Deanna Gerrard hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third.
Carmen Hughes surrendered three hits and one run over five innings, striking out eight.
Chartrand drove in four runs to lead the Steelers past Équipe du Québec 13-6 in their second game. She hit a three-run home run to right field in the first inning, and also had an RBI single. Hughes also had a two-run home run.
The Steelers then defeated the host team, the Bandits, 3-1. The game was tied at one in the top of the fifth when Karmen Twordik singled, scoring two runs. Chartrand allowed three hits and one run over six innings, striking out seven and walking one.
Their lone loss during the tournament was a 7-0 decision against Oakville. Hughes went the distance on the mound for the Steelers.
The Steelers recovered with a 9-1 win over Manitoba's Central Energy Ladies. After the Manitoba team opened the scoring, the Steelers rattled off nine straight runs.
Erin Kirkland picked up the win, allowing four hits and one run over five innings while striking out six. Chartrand went 2-for-3 at the plate.
The Steelers closed out the round robin with a 9-0 win over the Calgary Rogues. Twordik and Kim Vibert each had three hits in the win, and Chartrand struck out 12 batters on the day. She also surrendered one hit and zero runs over 5 1/3 innings.
The Steelers advanced to the championship round with a 5-4 win over the Angels on Saturday, thanks in large part to a four-run fifth inning.
Chartrand gave up eight hits and four runs (one earned) over seven innings, striking out four and walking three. Vibert and Gerrard each collected two hits for the Steelers.
Kukurudza was named an all-star infielder for the tournament, while Chartrand was picked as an all-star pitcher and the top player in the championship round.
The Steelers have also finished second and fourth at nationals since moving to that level in 2018. They won the Western Canadian championship several times, including 2016 and 2017, before moving up to nationals.
