Softball: Warriors top Edge 7-4 to win Ottawa Girls Fastpitch Association 11U city title

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Subway/NCC Foundation Warriors took an early lead, then added four runs in the bottom of the third inning to eventually top the Hi-Way Restaurant Edge 7-4 in Wednesday’s championship game of the Ottawa Girls Fastpitch Association 11U city tournament at Peck Park.

“This team improved so much this summer, but I feel like our defense and hitting took the biggest jumps forward,” said Warriors head coach Kari Hilton, her squad ending the season a perfect 12-0. “While we might not have reached our top potential hitting, all of the girls got better. Our defense, knowing what to do and where to throw the ball, was a complete 180 for the good.

“Sometimes at this level a team relies on pitching and strikeouts, but this group was able to make plays in the field as well. This has been a wonderful group of girls and they really had a great season. Hopefully they had fun and learned some things along the way.”

The Warriors scored twice in the first inning. Olivia Hall-Williams led off with a single down the right-field line and quickly came around to score on a double down the left-field line by Alexis Samaniego. Claire Trager made it 2-0 with an RBI hit off the third base bag.

The Edge cut the disadvantage in half in their half of the second when Savannah Beldon coaxed a leadoff walk and eventually scored on an RBI groundball by Kynzlee Jerde.

[ Photos: Edge vs. Warriors 11U city championship softball in Ottawa ]

“The main goal for me at this level is that the girls collectively get better from the first practice to the last game,” said Edge head coach Toby Hanlon, his team finishing the season at 7-4. “These girls did that. I’d say along with the on-the-field aspects of the game, confidence is the greatest improvement we had.

“We talk a lot about if you think you can do something, that’s the first step to doing it. We were a little timid at the start of the season, but we started playing with a little chip on our shoulders and did that especially well today. I saw that as the girls’ confidence rose. They played more aggressively. They were a great group to work with.”

In the Warriors third, Grace Mueller, Grace Poggi, Madelyn Strait and Hall-Williams all drew bases-loaded walks to increase the lead to 6-1.

The Edge responded with three runs in the fourth, starting with Eden Weems smacking a leadoff single to right and later scoring on an infield single by Kynzlee Jerde. The final two runs scored on bases-loaded walks by Jemma Vangelisti and Kaylee Jerde to make it 6-4.

Weems struck out six in her two innings in the circle, while Caitlyn Woods struck out two in her inning of work.

“Softball is a great challenge for me and so is pitching,” said Weems, who added she hit her first-ever home run in the first game of the season. “I like when I’ve been working on something and then I’m able to do it well in the games.

“I think we played a pretty good game. The Warriors were just a little bit better today.”

The Warriors added a run in the fourth – on an RBI double off the bat of Collins Hilton – before the game ended due to the two-hour time limit.

Hilton struck out six of the seven batters she faced in her two innings, while Trager fanned three in her two innings.

Great defensive plays were made by the Warriors’ Elyannah Carpenter (solid pick and throw at third base) and Hall-Williams (unassisted double play at first base), as well as the Edge’s Weems (on a popup at shortstop).

“Softball is so fun for me, and I love pitching.” Collins Hilton said. “I just started pitching last year, so I’ve got a long way to go but I’ve also learned so much. I like being in control a little bit and being the pitcher is a way I can do that.”