U15 Heat head to provincials

Good luck getting Brittyn DeVlieger to take a day off from softball right now.

Between practices and doubleheaders, the Westman Heat pitcher and infielder has been eager to keep pushing herself, whether it’s extra pitching reps or throwing and hitting the ball with her dad.

For DeVlieger, it’s all to be as sharp as possible this weekend as Westman heads to Portage la Prairie for under-15 AA provincials.

“It’s so important,” DeVlieger said. “I want to win so badly.

“We’re very determined to win and we have a lot. I just feel like we want it more.”

DeVlieger was part of the Heat team that beat their rival Westman Storm 4-2 on home dirt in last year’s U15 AA provincial final.

Early this season, the Storm won their first meeting handily. That only fired DeVlieger up more. She has been a pitcher for a few years, but eagerly took on the challenge of playing shortstop when not in the circle.

“I wasn’t really an infielder before but … I’ve really improved there and (coach Arjana Eilers) has taught me a lot there and I like that position,” DeVlieger said.

“All the balls come to me. When I’m pitching, I want my defence to do the work, so I like to try to make plays for (my pitchers).”

The team has a deep pitching staff, also including Haleigh Cuvelier, Dylan Ryback, Quincy Haggarty, Joee McKay, Bryelle Simard and more.

Simard is a minor this year, but brings some big-game experience from her time with the Westman Magic U13 AAA club last year.

The steady-throwing pitcher said she’s felt relaxed in close games this year for a few reasons.

“I just go in there and think if I pitch strikes and (my teammates) make plays, we’ll be good to go. I really trust them because they know what to do,” Simard said.

“Everyone can make plays on our team; we can all throw. There isn’t a certain person (I depend on) because they can all do it.”

Despite a slower start, the Heat have developed into one of the top teams in AA. They reached the medal round at the AA showcase in June and have beaten their bigger rivals in the lead-up to provincials.

“We started playing more as a team and started talking more,” Simard said. “We were getting to know each other and how everyone plays and that really helps.”

The challenge now is there isn’t much room for error with Softball Manitoba’s obscure draw.

Three of the four Westman squads are among the seven teams in Pool A, with six squads in Pool B.

Each team plays four games in pool play, with just two from each pool reaching the playoffs.

The Heat, who also include Ayven Chuchmuch, Emily Kulchyski, Jaycee Yorke, Cadence Keller, Kiara Spratt and Leah Phillips, open against Winnipeg Bolts Blue on Friday at 12:45 p.m., then face the Storm at 6 o’clock.

On Saturday, they play Westman Fury at 12:45 p.m., and Eastman Blaze Fafard at 4:15 p.m.

The Heat have one of the other top teams, Central Charge Purple, in their group.

Central doesn’t face either the Heat or Storm. So if, for example, the Charge win all four, the Heat or Storm could go 3-1 and be sent packing before Sunday’s playoff games.

The playoffs are a crossover, with first in one pool meeting second in the other Sunday morning. The final is at 2 p.m.

With every game feeling like a must-win, Simard is glad to have Chuchmuch and Kulchyski behind the plate.

“They both know how I pitch and the spots I pitch it to,” Simard said. “Their framing is good and they help us get lots of strikes with their frames.”

If it comes down to a big at-bat, DeVlieger knows who she’d want in the box.

“Quincy,” she said. “Just to get our spark going with one over the fence. Good hitter; we can rely on her.”

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com