Past graduates of Chatelech Secondary and Elphinstone Secondary faced each other in the inaugural slo-pitch softball alumni game for some friendly competition at Kinnikinnick Park, Saturday, May 31.
Featuring a total of 26 players, the game included alumni from as far back as the graduating class of 1995 (Elphinstone) to as recently as the class of 2023 (Chatelech). The Elphinstone Cougars squad, captained by Daniel Giesbrecht, entered the game with the slightly more experienced roster, while the Chatelech Eagles team, led by Tiffany ‘Tiff’ Baldwin, had the advantage in terms of speed and relative youth.
It was an exciting nine-inning game with Jarrod Underwood leading the way for the Cougars with five hits. Kelly Sawatski contributed multiple hits and RBIs and four runs scored, while Mitch Rainer added multiple big hits and three runs of his own.
Justin ‘Samo’ Samson had a good night at the plate for the Chatelech Eagles alumni with multiple booming extra-base hits and two runs scored. However, it was not enough to overcome Elphinstone’s solid collective defence and steady team hitting, which resulted in a final score of 20 to 7 and a well-deserved win for the Cougars.
The alumni game is a way of recognizing and celebrating the numerous good baseball and softball players who have grown up and graduated here on the Sunshine Coast, many of whom continue to play in the mixed adult Sunshine Coast Slo-Pitch League. The intention is for the event to expand and grow in the months and years ahead.
