After winning three medals in four years, Baseball Manitoba's women's program will be front and centre this weekend as Baseball Canada's 21U Invitational Championship takes place at Quarry Park in Stonewall.

"I think it's a great opportunity," said Team Manitoba coach Jeremy Culleton of Vassar. "It's a two-year bid so we'll have it this year and next year. It will be exciting for the girls to be able to play in front of hometown crowds. It also helps cut down the costs which means we can put more into developing these programs."

Culleton says the women's baseball program is moving in the right direction.

"A couple of years ago our 20-year-olds captured our first bronze medal and last year we had a silver and then this year another bronze with our 16-year-old group. We have a fair amount of talent. You medal three times in four years - you have a pretty good group of girls. I think they'll be up against some of the best in the country. Some of the girls on the National team will be there. We sent three girls (Katie Heppner, Britney Langlais & Sarah Moir) to the National Camp this year. We've had a couple of girls that have gone there in the past that will be on this team so we're kind of excited to showcase our talents. We know that we'll kind of be a little bit of an underdog at times but that's where you got to start."

The 21U team, which includes Caitlin Culleton of Vassar and Britney Langlais of Garson, held a weekend practice in Vassar this summer and played a couple of exhibition games.

The team also hooked up with the 16U team and played against some of the premier bantam teams in the province.

"This group is a little tougher to get together because you have a lot of girls who are college age that are working and can't get off work so it's kind of hit and miss," said Culleton. "We would have all liked to have been together a little bit more but we're confident on what we have and how the girls will perform."

Team Manitoba will play their opener against Ontario on Thursday and then face British Columbia and Quebec on Friday.

Manitoba's round robin finale is Saturday against Nova Scotia.

The top four teams advance to the semifinals.

Cullenton, who has five players who won bronze at the 16U Nationals in Vaughn, Ontario last week on his 21U roster, says pitching will be the key at Quarry Park.

"You really have to rely on some arms. We have Jade Ledochowski, Britney Langlais and Katie Heppner. Those are three talented young ladies that can throw the ball. If we manage them well enough I think we can end up on that medal day at least and go from there."

"It will be an outstanding show for girls sports and for girls baseball," added Culleton. "Really excited just to showcase that and hope to keep building it."

 

Team Manitoba 21U roster