Rivercats cool under pressure...

“This is a team sport and it took 12 girls to work together through heat and back-to-back games,’’ noted coach Kevin Olender. “This team loves to play for each other and it showed.’’

Duncan opened the tournament by crushing Nanaimo 19-3, with Katie Murphy and Mya Rosenlind splitting the pitching duties in the win.

Anna Beauchamp went three-for-three while Brooklyn Lang hit a pair of triples and Mary Murphy was two-for-three.

The RiverCats had back-to-back games following the opening ceremonies.

They first beat Langford 17-6, as Beauchamp had the hot bat again, going three-for-three. Katie Murphy and Rylee Smith chipped in with two hits apiece while Mackenzie Wildy, Mary Murphy, Beauchamp and Sierra Screaton all scored twice.

The last game of the day was a 15-0 Duncan whitewashing of Ladysmith.

Kevannah Thorne set the tone in the first inning with a two-run homer. Lang’s hot bat produced two more hits while Rosenlind, Mary Murphy, Paiton Douglas and Hailey Weremi all had a hit and scored twice.

By going undefeated, the RiverCats received a bye into the semifinals where they faced Parksville, a team coming off a big win over View Royal.

Duncan only mustered three hits but it was enough for a 10-5 win behind three solid pitching innings by Katie Murphy. Mary Murphy broke the game open in the second with a double that scored two and Smith followed with a two-run single.

The RiverCats played arch-rival Cordova Bay in the final and posted a big 10-2 win, as Katie Murphy and Rosenlind combined on a one-hitter.

Trailing by one after the first, Duncan got on the board in the second with three runs on singles by Marissa St. Amand, Smith and Wildy.

Duncan added runs in the third and fourth.

Defensive gem came from Thorne in the fourth. She made a catch at shortstop and then fired to St. Amand at home for an out to end the inning.

That ignited the RiverCats and they scored five more runs on singles by Wildy, Rosenlind and Beauchamp.