The Davidson Red Sox peewee girls softball team are moving on to playoff competition this weekend with a goal of putting everything they’ve learned about playing both sides of the game this year into action on the field.

“We’ve come a long way,” said Red Sox coach Jason Shaw, who is being helped on the sidelines this year by Kendal Wightman. “In league we’ve won seven (and) lost seven, so we’re a middle of the pack team. At this age it’s about teaching the girls how to play ball. We’ve given them a chance to play different positions and learn a little bit about how to play the game.”

Shaw said the 15 girls who play for the Red Sox have beat every team in the league except two this year, including the Conquest Coyotes who they hosted last Tuesday. He said they have as good a shot as anybody else at winning the Saskatoon peewee B league playoffs this Saturday and securing a berth in provincials the following weekend.

The 2014 Red Sox includes Brianna Jess, Sarah Allan, Breanna Shaw, Gracie Allan, Hannah Gust, Kaitlyn Glubis, Teryn Bristow, Sydney Smith, Nevada Wightman, Tori Rendall, Elena Nykiforuk, Jocelyn Millham, Chaselyn Dean, Annika Ouellette and Lauren Bueckert. The 14-and-under team have been putting in as many practices as possible starting indoors at the Davidson Communiplex in April before trying to schedule them around the many games they play in Saskatoon and three tournaments they participate in during the short spring season.

The 12-7 loss against Conquest last Tuesday was Davidson’s third game at home this season to go along with a doubleheader they played earlier in the year against a Saskatoon club. The coach said the Coyotes game showed the emphasis each team places on good pitching to get wins.

“It was a good game,” said Shaw, noting the Red Sox will play a playoff tune-up game this Thursday in Loreburn. “We could have scored a couple more runs. We were up 5-2 in the first two innings. They had a strong pitcher come in to pitch the third to the sixth inning and we made a couple errors, but it was a good game. There were a few hits (on) both sides and a few good plays made.”

To read more please see the June 16 print edition of The Davidson Leader.