Claremont secondaryB次元官网网址檚 Kayla Saulnier threw every pitch to lead Layritz to 2017 Little League national championship in Calgary.
The Saanich based U16 team cruised undefeated to win the Canadian title in late July. It qualified the team for the World Series in Kirkland, Wash., where they finished eighth.
That Saulnier was able to throw a complete game every time out at nationals was a remarkable achievement in itself. It didnB次元官网网址檛 help that she was injured when they reached Washington, though Nicole Albhouse, the catcher who caught every pitch at nationals, said the injury wasnB次元官网网址檛 necessarily related to SaulnierB次元官网网址檚 workload in Calgary.
B次元官网网址淸Saulnier] is really strong,B次元官网网址� Albhouse said. B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 know how she got injured. When we got to the World Series she pitched anyways. We still hit the ball and put up runs but not enough, the hitting from other teams was a lot better than at nationals.B次元官网网址�
Layritz did win one game at nationals, defeating the NetherlandsB次元官网网址� team.
For the group, it was the first year playing Little League and the first trip to nationals for the team. TheyB次元官网网址檝e come through the ranks of Baseball B.C. with Cordova Bay, playing B level softball. This year they played on both teams, wearing their traditional Cordova Bay colours while reserving MondayB次元官网网址檚 to play Little League with Layritz. The entire team is going into Grade 10, at either Claremont, StellyB次元官网网址檚 secondary, Mount Douglas secondary and Spectrum Community School.
B次元官网网址淸Nationals] was a fun experience, we had a lot of hitting and scored a lot of runs,B次元官网网址� Albhouse said.
At the national championships, Layritz won every game by a lopsided score. Instead of full seven inning games, the opponents elected to end each game after just five innings, which permitted Saulnier to retake the mound for every start, said Albhouse, also a Claremont student.
Though Saulnier played the entire series, it wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have mattered if they went to their next pitcher, Alison Bobroske, Albhouse said.
B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 just as good.B次元官网网址�
But it was a next level experience at the World Series.
AlbhouseB次元官网网址檚 twin sister Natasha, who plays outfield, said it was a nervewracking start to nationals for her. But just as the nerves burned away after their first win at nationals, they set in when they lost Game 1 at the World Series.
With a national title to their name, the Layritz Little League U16 women now age up to the next bracket. And theyB次元官网网址檒l be back.
