Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Napanee’s U17 Express girls got their season off on the right track, sweeping a season-opening fast-pitch tournament they hosted this weekend at the Fairgrounds.
Danielle Barker and Isabelle Baker split pitching duties throughout the weekend, with Barker getting the call to start the gold-medal game. She delivered, pitching the Express to a 10-2 win over Quebec’s Phenix Du Nord.
Napanee kicked off the weekend with a 6-5 win over the South Eastern Screaming Eagles. They kept rolling with a 9-2 win over the Ottawa Angels and an 8-5 win over the Du Nord team they’d see later in the finals.
In the semifinals the Express matched up against the Screaming Eagles, defeating them by the same 6-5 score as their first meeting.
At the dish Napanee’s Keyana Whan connected on five home runs over the weekend.
Daniella Barker of the U17 Express delivers a pitch during a tournament held at the Fairgrounds. She got the start in the gold medal game, pitching the Express to victory. Photo by Adam Prudhomme.
The U17 girls’ tournament was the start of what projects to be a busy summer of fast-pitch at the Napanee Fairground diamonds. May 19-21 will see the Napanee AFW Express host their second annual Early Bird Tournament.
The Canada Day weekend of July 1-3 the U17 Express boys will play as the home team for an OASA elimination tournament. July 22-24 the U15 Express girls will host a PWSA qualifier.
All of which will serve as a precursor to the main event, when Softball Napanee serves as hosts of the U20 Canadian Fast Pitch Championships, Aug. 15-20. This will mark the second summer in a row Napanee has hosted the national championship, with Napanee finishing as silver medalists in 2022.