The Squamish Fastpitch league wrapped up the season last weekend with its all-star game. The contest went into extra innings leaving some spectators with seats as sore as the catchers' hands.
Before the game, trophies were given out to the members of the first team of all-stars, designated "home" for scoring purposes.
Among the recipients were MVP Dan Stuart and rookie of the year Jet Lee.
The second squad was made up of other standouts from the league and, although they lacked the hardware and home handle of their opponents, they showed the depth of the league by winning in extra innings 9-6.
"We tried to get a couple of players from each team just to give [the All-Stars] a game and it turned out to be a very good game," said Ken Hall, leadoff hitter for the second team.
"There's the All-Star team but then there's guys in the rest of the league that are just as good."
"When you get two teams that are kind of even, anybody can win it," said Hall. "Our team had just as many good hitters." Heading into the bottom of the third the score was tied 1-1 but did not stay knotted for long. The home squad opened the bottom of the third with a couple of singles from Dan Kingston and Lee.
After walking Travis Moyle, the bases were loaded leaving the "visitors" in a situation stickier than pine tar. A Jay Wright single was all Kingston and Lee needed to score, and a double from Kim Stanley brought in Moyle returning the lead to home hands 4-1.
A pitching change to start the bottom of the fourth helped the visitors keep the score from getting worse, as the next three home hitters were retired in a brief display of defensive dominance.
After being walked, Scott Lynus stole second in the fifth before a catcher error moved him to third and put Bob Versluis on first.
A single from Craig Halliday brought Lynus home and made the score 4-2. Versluis advanced to third after another bobbled ball by the home catcher Kim Stanley.
Up next was Barrie Woodard, whose hit up the middle sent Versluis charging home where he was tagged out.
However as the home side tried to turn the double play, an overthrow at third allowed Halliday to score bringing the visitors within one run, 4-3.
Moyle mashed a triple to open the bottom of the fifth and was joined on base by Wright. Both men made it home after a Stanley single, giving the home team the lead 6-3.
Both teams blanked in the sixth inning but the top of the seventh saw the visiting team break out the lumber and break down the home side's lead.
After a couple of walks put runners at first and second, a double from Woodard made the score 6-4.
Before the home team could catch their collective breath a single from Jeremy Galley pulled the visitors within one, 6-5 and after a sac fly brought in Woodard the game was tied 6-6.
A pop out would leave Galley at third as the top of inning closed and the home squad tried to finish their comeback contemporaries.
However, the home team would see their first three batters go hitless, forcing them into extra innings against the surging second squad.
The visitors kept their momentum going as they loaded the bases quickly at the start of the eighth.
Lynus stole home after the catcher bobbled the ball, giving the visitors their first lead of the game 7-6. A single from the lumber of Woodard scored two more runs before a strike out ended the eighth with the visitors ahead 9-6.
The visitors clinched the game after the home side went hitless in the bottom eighth.
