Fast pitch team winds up for the playoffs
By Tanya Quaglia
Lance Writer
October 17, 2007
 With bats swinging left and right, and allowing no more than nine runs in the last eight games, the Lancers Women’s Fast Pitch team approached the end of their regular season with superb skill, proving to other teams why they will be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs.
An 11-0 win versus the Waterloo Warriors on Oct. 6 capped off a five-game win streak, with pitching sensation Dianne St. Germain throwing a no-hitter.
“I didn’t initially realize I threw a no-hitter until Paula (Lancers head coach) let me know after the game,” stated St. Germain. “I was very happy that my pitching could contribute to our win and must say that without my defense behind me this would not have been possible.”
This wasn’t St. Germain’s only no-hitter of the season. She previously pitched a perfect game on Sept. 16 versus the Carleton Ravens. These are very impressive stats for this young pitcher. She is only playing her second year with the Lancers and will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come.
St. Germain is not the only youngest player on the team, according to head coach Paula Stamatiadis, 11 of the Lancers 14 players are only playing their first or second year with the team.
Even though over three-quarters of the team are first- or second-year players, they have really come together as a group.
“We all get along really well which helps us as a team. We communicate with each other and we are all there to compete and play our best,” explained rookie outfielder, Carly Erina.
“We have improved a lot this year already and as for the playoffs, we just have to play our defence hard like we do and keep our bats going for the whole game.”
With such a young team the rookies and young players have needed to step up, and have done so. Rookie Jill Peters has the highest batting average and on-base percentage on the team. Other players have stepped up as well.
“Our pitching staff of Melissa Bowyer, Kaitlin Smith and Dianne St. Germain, is doing a great job so far. Jenna Nichol (shortstop) and Rachel Baltzer (third base) don’t let anything through on the left side of the infield and Michelle Maynard is solid as they come to second base. Senior outfielders and team captains, Krystal Banfill and Katie Facecchia have each thrown out a few runners at home this season,” said Stamatiadis.
Even though the Lancers team is on average younger than most of the teams they play, age hasn’t proved to be a factor. The Lancers have earned themselves a playoff spot after winning six of their past eight games, the most recent being an 8-0 win over Guelph, with pitcher Melissa Bower only allowing one hit. Those six wins include a stretch of five games where the Lancers went undefeated.
Securing a playoff spot was one of the main goals for the Lancers. Now that they have achieved that, the next goal is to return to the semi-final round. Returning to the semi-finals is a tough task, but certainly not an impossible one. If they do make it to the semis, anything is possible. Making it to the championship game will be a spectacular achievement for the Lancers.
“In order to reach the championship game, we will have to play our best games of the season. So far it has been a struggle to move runners across the plate once they are in scoring position. There have been too many times where our bats have failed us. Defensively, we are as strong as any other team in the league,” explained Stamatiadis.
Whether they reach the championship game or not, one thing is certain--the Women Lancers Fast Pitch team is young and talented and will be a force to be reckoned with in the very near future.
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