Kelowna U18 Heat claim bronze in own Spring Sizzle fastball tourney

The host Kelowna Heat won five of seven games and earned the bronze medal at the annual U18B Spring Sizzle girls fastball tournament on the weekend at Kiwanis High Noon Park.

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A 10-3 victory over the Richmond Islanders secured the third-place finish for the Heat, who had lost 9-2 to the same Lower Mainland team in their final round-robin game of the 10-team event.

Emma Wilton hit a two-run homer while six players drove in a run for the winners. Gina Selfe posted the pitching win.

In semifinal play, the Heat dropped a 3-1 decision to the South Delta Invaders, who went on to defeat the Coquitlam Classics 2-1 in the championship game on a suicide squeeze play in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Heat’s only run in the semi came on Racquel Bennett’s second home run in consecutive games. Danya Truscott-Plitt allowed only one earned run. The other two South Delta runs were a result of two poorly timed Heat errors.

A 4-3 victory over South Surrey in the first round of the playoffs vaulted the Heat to the semifinals. Bennett hit the first pitch of the game deep over the center-field fence to spark the host team. Selfe, the winning pitcher, helped her own cause by stealing home for the winning run.

Round-robin play in the three-day tournament saw the Heat battle back from a 6-1 deficit to edge the Cloverdale Fury 7-6. The Kelowna representatives followed up with a 14-2 win over the Prince George Thunderbirds in which Selfe homered.

The Heat also defeated the silver-medalist from Coquitlam 10-1 before losing to Richmond to close out round-robin play.

Up next for the 18U team is a women’s tournament in Sicamous this weekend. They’re off to Spokane for another tourney June 10-12 and will play in the provincial B championship tournament back in Sicamous July 8-10.