INSIDE THE PARK — Horwood swings between baseball, softball

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This article was published 21/08/2019 (2225 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When Marilyn Monroe famously crooned in 1953 that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, she never would have dreamed of Jasmine Horwood.

The 15-year-old softball and baseball player from Brandon estimates she has played about 100 games this summer, which includes the national under-16 softball championship in Calgary last weekend, and she will add more at the national girls 16U baseball tournament this weekend in Bedford, N.S.

Shelikes to keep her options open, after playing baseball last summer and focusing on softball this summer.

“I kind of want to keep a foot in both doors, with experiences in both baseball and softball,” Horwood said. “Faron Asham and Megan Asham were coaching (the U16 Westman Magic) and I wanted to get the experience of that happening. There is a lot of opportunity in both sports so I want to stay in both.”

She certainly managed that in her busy summer that saw her catching, playing some second base and handling the hot corner at third.

Horwood caught for the Crocus Plains baseball team with the boys, swung a big bat with the western Canadian champion Magic and served as an affiliate player with the Brandon Marlins 15U boys team.

She was picked up by Central Energy for softball nationals, and responded by being named an all-star outfielder, an honour she said likely came due to her bat. She hit an amazing .522, earning 12 hits in 23 official at-bats.

In the seven games, she knocked in nine runs and scored three herself as the team went 4-3 and finished seventh.

“It was really good,” Horwood said. “They were very welcoming so it was really easy to fit in. The girls were really loud on the bench so it was fun to be there and a great experience.”

She served as designated hitter in the first game, caught two others and played the rest in the field. Central picked her up because she had homered three times against them in a game during the season, and also because they were having trouble keeping their catchers healthy.

Any player who isn’t continually getting better ultimately risks being caught from behind, so Horwood has worked hard to improve. She credits Faron Asham all the work he did with her this season.

“With a lot of the help from the cages we got to go in, I’ve been more consistent with hitting,” Horwood said. “I’ve been on base a lot more, and Coach Faron’s knowledge about catching really helped me to call the games. I think I’ve progressed that way as a player.”

After arriving back in Brandon from Calgary on Monday afternoon, Horwood left for Nova Scotia early today for baseball nationals.

So is there a transition between the two sports? Horwood says there is, especially at the plate.

“I think they have little differences,” she said. “Pitching-wise, it kind of takes me a few innings to get it back because the ball is going down in baseball and up in softball. Catching is the same. It’s mostly hitting.”

Manitoba’s baseball team went 2-3 at nationals a year ago, finishing tied for eighth place. A few of the older players from last year’s team have aged up a division, but Horwood said there are a good number of returnees.

She believes the experience of the first event will help a lot.

“I think I’ll get used to the teams now because I’ve seen a bit of them,” Horwood said. “I kind of know what to expect, how the teams are going to be and who we can get an inch on and when we have to play our best.”

Westman players Zara Dickson and Marie Biehn of Carberry, Jessica Chanel and Michalya Peacock of Somerset and Darbi Poole of McAuley are also on the team.

Manitoba meets Saskatchewan and British Columbia on Thursday, and Quebec-2 on Friday. The playoffs begin on Saturday, with the final placement and medal games on Sunday.

Horwood is hoping to improve on her all-star performance in her debut at the event and show off her leadership skills.

“I always want to voice my opinions and help the team as much as I can with both the playing and the mental thing getting the girls ready and hyped,” Horwood said. “One of my goals is to maybe be on the all-star team again and just play my best and show people who I am and what I can do.”

If that’s not all, Horwood also umpires.

Last year she officiated both softball and baseball games, but chuckles that her busy schedule wouldn’t allow it this summer.

She likes watching the players progress, and takes a lot of pride in the younger girls following in her footsteps in Brandon Minor Baseball.

Horwood is also a terrific ringette player, although she’s trying to talk her mother Susan into letting her try out for the Crocus hockey team. She also plays volleyball and basketball at the school.

But baseball and softball are special.

“I like being outside with all my friends,” Horwood said. “I like the feeling of a good hit, especially when it’s a close game and you get a hit and win the game or something. It’s the feeling. Making a nice play, I like that.”

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