The U17 (top) and U15 (bottom) Bandits sport their "AW" provincials hardware from the weekend in Regina. (Submitted photos/Battlefords Minor Softball)

By Martin Martinson

Softball Hardware

Bandits punch ticket to Westerns with provincial gold/silver

Jul 17, 2023 | 5:19 PM

The Battlefords Bandits softball program saw their U17 and U15 teams advance to the Western Canadian Championships with medal performances on the provincial stage over the weekend in Regina.

U17 Bandits – Gold Medal

The U17 Bandits won four of five games total on their way to the U17 “AW” gold medal, achieving a goal head coach Darren Russell said the team has been working towards all year.

“It’s very exciting, it’s a lot of hard work throughout the season, and obviously that’s always your goal in any sport at the beginning of the season, [to win],” he said. “You set your goals and hope you can get there, so it was pretty awesome we were able to do that. A lot of happy kids in our dugout and a lot of happy parents too I think.”

The U17 Bandits pictured here with their gold medals and provincial championship banner. (Submitted photo/Darren Russell)

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The U17s opened their tournament in commanding fashion with a 9-1 victory over last year’s provincial silver medalist Parkland Heat, before facing their first bit of adversity in an 11-4 loss to the Weyburn Wild.

However, quick to bounce back, the Bandits got back on track in a big way in their final game of round-robin play, taking home a 16-6 win over the Regina Lazers, capped off in style by a grand slam home run hit out of the park by Aleesa Sharp.

The U17s carried their momentum into the playoff rounds, exploding for a 14-4 triumph to mercy the Regina Royals in five innings in the semis, to set up a rematch with undefeated Weyburn for the provincial gold.

Down 6-2 relatively early, the Bandits again showed their game-breaking ability at the plate, as the team rallied for an eight-run inning in the fourth, before adding another 11 runs unanswered in the fifth on their way to a 21-6 victory, highlighted by an out of the park home run by Jorja Chmelnyk in the provincial championship game.

Russell said the team’s comeback in the gold medal game showed their resiliency as a group, in addition to their lethal efficiency at the plate.

“Instead of just folding up shop, our girls put up an eight-run inning which I think matched the most our girls have ever put up in an inning in the last three years, [until the 11 that followed], ”he said. “We were just crushing it into the gaps and blowing it through infielders, the kids were just crushing the ball and they were all determined.”

With the win, the Bandits U17s will now advance to Westerns next month in Winkler, MB., Aug. 17-20.

U15 Bandits – Silver Medal

The U15 Bandits went 3-3 through their six games en route to the U15 “AW” silver medal, in a performance head coach, Chris Metlewsky said saw the whole lineup contribute.

“We’re really happy with how they performed, they all came together to really play well,” he said.

“The girls in the infield were fielding balls clean and throwing them out at first, throwing them out at second, and did an outstanding job at that, and then when it was our turn to bat they just crushed the ball. Lots of base hits and the next one up would pound it to the fence and get a couple runs in, so that really made a world of difference.”

The U15 Bandits, pictured here with their provincial silver medals. (Submitted photo/Chris Metlewsky)

The U15s opened their tournament with a 12-11 win over the Unity Panthers, also topping the South Central Venom 12-5 for a hot start, before back-to-back losses to the Moose Jaw Ice 14-10, and Parkland Predators 9-0, to finish round-robin play at 2-2.

In the semi-finals, the Bandits regrouped quickly to edge the Venom 8-6 in the second meeting between the two teams, to advance to the gold medal game against the Predators who squeaked out a 7-6 win earning the Bandits the silver medal.

With a top-two finish on the provincial stage, the U15s will also advance to Westerns. Their tournament will be in Richmond, BC., Aug. 10-13.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1