They started out together as squirts, and my, how they’ve grown.
The Nanaimo Breakers midget B girls’ softball team recently won the Island title and also won its first gold medal at a major Lower Mainland tournament.
“It’s all come together this year,” said Mark Murray, the team’s coach.
There were signs that the Breakers were breaking through, as they won a bronze earlier this season, then a silver, and now gold, going 17-4-1 en route.
The team is strong in all areas, said the coach, but defence has been a real reason for success.
“We’re only giving up a couple runs a game. We’re playing 1-1 ball games and winning 2-1, 3-2,” he said.
The Breakers have representation from every Nanaimo high school, pointed out the coach, and yet they’ve become a close-knit group of friends.
“They all face each other during the seasons in basketball and volleyball; there’s always these rivalries and then finally they’re all together on the same team. It’s kind of cool, actually,” Murray said.
Softball B.C. provincials are July 4-6 in Abbotsford and the Breakers have progressed to being contenders.
“If everything comes together – our defence and our hitting and our pitching – then we can play with anybody in the province,” said the coach.
The team is also entered in the Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship later in July in Surrey.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com