Coupeville masher Madison McMillan rapped out hit after hit in Canada last weekend. (Jackie Saia photo)
“Adversity is what we fought, not the other teams.”
Battling with banged up bodies, the Whidbey Thunder U18 select softball squad still managed to split six games at the Canada Cup last weekend, coming within a play or two of making a major impact.
The diamond dandies narrowly lost their opener 2-1 to a team which went on to claim second in the tourney, then ripped off three straight wins to get back into contention.
After finishing 3-2 in pool play, the Thunder fell 8-7 in extra innings in the quarterfinals of the championship bracket, ending their run for the moment.
In that swan song, Whidbey rallied from a 6-3 deficit in the final frame, scoring the tying run with two outs on the board to force an international tie breaker.
Another run in the top of the eighth put the Thunder on top, before their rivals pushed two across in the bottom half of the inning to win the thriller.
“It was a very hard game to lose,” said Whidbey coach Matt Suto. “But I was very proud of all the girls in the effort and drive and the willingness to never give up to put us in the position to win the game.
“It’s a game of inches and we just happened to be just out of reach to lose a tough one.”
The Thunder spent the weekend banged up, with Coupeville stars Taylor Brotemarkle (knee) and Teagan Calkins (ankle) getting hurt in on-field action.
“It was small injuries,” Suto said. “It was banged up here, banged up there, but we still managed to show the heart and desire to try and win this tournament.”
The diamond guru praised Thunder pitchers Grace Swenson, Zoe Abbott, and Ramona Ryder as a “trio of greatness,” with Coupeville’s Madison McMillan “being a brick wall at third base.”
Whidbey’s outfield of Layla Suto, Hayden Davies, and Ramona Ryder “all played extremely well,” with a first-time addition showing up and showing out at catcher.
“Lynden’s Olivia Paolo fit on this team like she’s been with us all year,” Suto said. “She played stellar behind the plate and was an asset wherever she played.”
Even with injuries slowing them down, the Thunder continue to impress their coach.
“This group of girls is something special,” Suto said.
“Even though we would trail in some of the games we never gave up and we would just show the Canadian teams that the American teams never stand down from a challenge.
“I say it time and time again, I am very fortunate to be able to coach a group of young ladies like this and watch them at the very best.”
The Thunder return to action July 10-14 when they hit the road for the Cascades National Championship in Olympia.
“We hope to be healthy and put on a clinic,” Suto said.
“I know these girls can put on a clinic because I just watched it; when they hit, they are unstoppable; when the defense is on, they look better than the Mariners.
“I am so proud of these girls.”
Weekend stats:
Zoe Abbott — One single, one walk
Taylor Brotemarkle — One triple
Teagan Calkins — Three singles, one walk
Hayden Davies — One single, one double, four walks
Anna Friedrichs — One single, one walk
Jayme Kallio — Five singles, one double
Rylan Kononen — Eight singles
Madison McMillan — Six singles, one double, four walks
Olivia Paolo — Seven singles, two doubles, one walk
Ramona Ryder — Four singles, two doubles, three walks
Layla Suto — Four singles, two doubles, two walks
Grace Swenson — Five singles, two walks
Loto Tupu — Five singles, one triple, one walk
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