There were lots of teams and lots of fans at a big tournament at Surrey’s Softball City facility this past weekend.
But by the gold-medal game, there were only Nanaimo teams and Nanaimo fans left.
The 13-team midget girls’ tourney came down to two Nanaimo Diamonds teams from the Nanaimo and District Minor Fastball Association. The Diamonds side coached by Julie Roberge, Wayne Myhal and Pauline Davidson needed extra innings to get past the Diamonds coached by Darren Fargo and Randy Wallace. Katie Washburn ended up as the heroine with a game-winning two-out home run.
Roberge’s Diamonds were the top-ranked team coming out of the round-robin, but Fargo’s Diamonds, who snapped up the last playoff berth in the tourney, showed heart to reach the final.
Both teams are entered in provincial championships, which will take place in July at Beban Park’s Gyro Youth Sports fields.