As much as Yellowknife would like to have it all, it doesn't always work out that way.
Chrissie Carrigan of the Average Joes can't corral the throw at third base as a Fort Smith runner slides in safely during the A final of the NWT Co-Ed Slo-Pitch Championship at Fritz Theil Park on Sunday.
That was the case at Fritz Theil Park on Sunday as the NWT Co-Ed Slo-Pitch Championship at Fritz Theil Park came to a close with the A and B division finals. The A final featured the Fitz Bombers out of Fort Smith taking on the Average Joes from Yellowknife and it would be the Bombers taking the crown back to the 60 th parallel thanks to a 14-9 win in the final.
Ryan Sheppard of the Average Joes said they simply went up against a team that outhit them when it mattered.
鈥淲e left ourselves with too much to do late in the game,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you aren't hitting in slo-pitch, you won't win a lot of games and that's the way she went for us.鈥�
The result in the final was a reversal of fortunes from the round-robin meeting between the two teams the day before, which the Joes won, 18-15. That game saw the Joes' battery firing on all cylinders with plenty of home run power.
鈥淲e had lots of home runs and quality home runs at that,鈥� said Sheppard. 鈥淎 couple of three-run shots, a grand slam, that's what you want and that's what we got. Hitting home runs with runners on are the ones that really matter in slo-pitch.鈥�
That game probably lit a fire underneath the Joes but it probably also had the same effect for the Bombers.
They aren't a team that's used to losing, added Sheppard.
鈥淲e knew they came to play and they don't lose often,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey came out after that loss and just brought it and it carried them to the title.鈥�
The Bombers also managed to overcome a loud crowd which was decidedly in the Joes' corner all game long and that didn't go unnoticed by Sheppard.
鈥淚t was probably the most hostile (crowd) I've seen and heard in a long time,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 guess we're lucky they were on our side.鈥�
The B final featured the Fort Simpson Braves taking on the Delta Force of Yellowknife and that title went back to the Dehcho thanks to their victory in the final.
Braves captain Darwin Norwegian said it was worth the trip to Yellowknife.
鈥淲e came to win and we did it,鈥� he said.
The tournament had national implications as well as it served as a NWT qualifier for the Slo-Pitch National Canadian Championships in 2018. Both sets of champions and finalists receive an automatic invite into whatever division they think they can compete in.
For the Average Joes, 2018 is already on the radar and Sheppard said the plan is to go to Leduc, Alta., one of the sites for next year's championships.
鈥淲e're pumped about going and we've got the ball rolling already,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e're probably going to look at either co-ed D or E simply because nationals is a much different game. There's so many good teams and players at these tournaments and we want to go and be competitive.鈥�
