PCI downs Morden in thrilling Zone 4 Final
The Zone 4 Final 4 Tournament has long been considered one of the most competitive fastpitch tournaments in Manitoba and the 2008 version was no different as the PCI Saints came from behind to beat the Morden Thunder 4-3 and claim their second straight title. The game was a rematch of the 2007 final and capped off a sensational day of fastpitch that featured drama and heartbreak in spades. PCI rode the arm and the bat of
Adrianna Boychuk throughout the day as she earned a complete game win in the final and drove in the winning runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Tiffany Friesen was the hard-luck loser for Morden pitching a sensational game and giving the Thunder a chance to win despite seemingly long odds. The final inning of the day was rife with tension thanks to the tenacity of both teams. Morden had carried a narrow one run lead into the sixth inning before
Ashley Smoke was able to draw the Saints even by hitting a sharp one-hopper at Friesen that scored
Deanna Mitchell. A scoreless seventh inning meant international tie-breaker rules for the extra frames and Morden quickly counted a run to grab back their one-run cushion. The Saints however, were able to load the bases in their half of the eighth thanks to some timely hitting. That set the stage for Boychuk who drove a ground ball between first and second to score two runners and send the Saints pouring onto the field.
Morden's road to the final was certainly the more difficult one as they dropped their opening game 4-3 to the WC Miller Aces.
Madison Toews outduelled Friesen, who threw the first of her 29 innings on the day in the Thunder's opener. Miller would count the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to move into the 'A' final with PCI while Morden faced the prospect of an elimination game with MCI.
PCI earned their way in by dumping a very game MCI Blues squad 3-1 in a well-played game. Mitchell was able to hold off the Blues offence while a Smoke home run was the big blow for PCI against Blues ace
Paige Smith. It was a sensational game and the 'B' semi-final proved no less scintillating as
Kayla Falk threw five solid innings at the Thunder and departed the game with a slim 5-4 lead.
Darcie Reimer would play the hero in this one though, as she drove a Smith pitch over the wall in left field for a two run homer and a 6-5 Thunder lead through six innings. Morden would tack on one more in the seventh and move into the 'B' final against the Aces, who were crushed 10-0 by PCI in the 'A' final. Boychuk earned the win for the Saints in that one and Smoke hit another home run; this one a line drive that stunned the Aces and swung the momentum in PCI's favour for good.
Jordan Friesen and
Nicole Zacharias shared the pitching duties for the Altona squad. The 'B' final got off to a quick start with both Miller and Morden scoring once in the opening frame. The game seemed briefly to be balanced on a razor's edge until the fourth frame when Reimer hit a ball to right field that made it's way to the corner and turned into an inside-the-park three run home run. It was the second game-winning homer in as many games for Reimer and sent the Thunder into the finals as 5-1 winners, where PCI was waiting.
