Front row: Misty McGough, Katlyn Payne, Emily Wilton, Heather Levi, Alyssa Connor, Kyle Hauser, Kimmie Vrigian. Middle Row: Coach Rick LeClair, Brittany Jackson, Lauren Dykeman, Coach Jim TenEyck. Back Row: Jessica Meeker Stewart, DeDe Ste-Marie, Ashley Fowler, and Crystal LaPorte. Photo by Dave Scranton
Women’s softball team Matt’s Hot Screamers of Inlet concluded a perfect 10–0 season on Tuesday evening, August 11, with a convincing 13–3 win over the Black Widows of North Creek. The game was played at Indian Lake with Inlet as the home team.
After taking care of business during the regular season, compiling an 8–0 record, the Screamers knocked off the Black Mountain Bears 15–6 on Tuesday, August 4.
This set the stage for a showdown with their old rival from North Creek, who defeated Basil’s Angels in their first play-off game.
A relentless offense pounded out 18 hits, scoring in every inning but two. Misty McGough led the way with 5 RBI’s and three runs scored, in hammering a bases loaded triple and a two-run double.
Defensively, the Screamers continued to shine, led by the league’s best pitcher, Lauren Dykeman. On this night she struck out five, walked none, and fielded everything hit her way.
Centerfielder Alyssa Connor turned a diving catch of a line drive into a big double play, and then followed that up on the next hitter by showing off her strong arm, gunning out the batter’s base hit attempt from center field to first baseman Heather Levi to end the game in grand fashion.
In a season where the Screamers out-scored the opposition 141–26 and included three shutouts, there were contributions from all 13 girls.
Offensively, the team (team average .512) was led by All-Star Heather Levi’s .622 average, followed by Ashley Fowler’s .615 average, which included five home runs.
Alyssa Connor (1 home run), Misty McGough (2 home runs), DeDe Ste-Marie (1 home run), Crystal LaPorte, Brittney Jackson, Lauren Dykeman and Katlyn Payne all pounded the ball at over a .500 clip.
Kyle Hauser, the team leader on the field, and Emily Wilton anchored the left side of the infield.
Wilton, another All-Star, was easily the best third baseman in the league, and amazed players and fans alike with her glove and arm each and every game.
Newcomers Jessica Meeker and Kimmie Vrigian both contributed timely hits throughout the season and played great defense at catcher and in the outfield.
The team’s success of 18 wins and no losses over the last two years has resulted in two league and play-off championships.
Team chemistry and always bringing their “A” game has culminated in the girls being in a “League of Their Own”, and the season was a “Perfect 10.”
—Story submitted
