WMPA defeats Rockford Peaches

The 2019 Malta Parks and Recreation Women's Softball League ended in a blowout last Tuesday, July 2, at Trafton Park.

Where My Pitches At? (WMPA) defeated Resting Pitch Face 19-4. WMPA was led by team captain Bobbi Knudsen who hit two in park home runs. ++

"I knew I just had to run fast because there is no way I could hit an actual home run," Knudsen said. "Cassie (Pratt) was in front of me for my first one and I kept yelling at her to run because I didn't want her to stop."

Knudsen has accomplished many things in the sport of basketball including making the NCAA tournament, having her jersey honored at Montana State University Billings, a state title as an M-ette, but she shared what winning the first women's softball trophy (in recent history) was like.

"It's pretty high," Knudsen said. "I feel like there are a lot of opportunities for guys here but not as many for women. So all of these little victories we get; like starting a women's league is huge. We will just keep starting more things because anything that we do will bring enough interest to do it."

Though the women's league was short, having only three weeks, Knudsen was grateful for the opportunity and the turnout.

"We haven't really played much softball here, so it's really fun to have enough women interested in having a league and to be able to have four teams was incredible," Knudsen said.

Knudsen nonimated Cheryl Voegel as the team's Most Valuable Player.

"By far!" Knudsen said. "She is our coach as well as the fact that she plays. She just knows everything."

The team was up early in the game, going up 6-2 at the end of the first inning.

"You gotta have teamwork and have fun," Voegel said of the team's early success.

Where My Pitches At? defeated Renegades 20-2 in the semi-finals. Rockford Peaches defeated Resting Pitch Faces 13-3 in their semi-final match. Resting Pitch Faces would go on to defeat Renegades 12-6 in the Consolation game, earning the team third place in the tournament.

"Our team really came together with good teamwork and a lot of communication," Knudsen said. "I had a good group of girls that were a lot of fun."

Week by week Resting Pitch Face Captain Jade Malmend knew that her team was catching on quick.

"We saw major improvement," Malmend said. "We started out slow and our first game was a little hard because a lot of us didn't know what we were doing but we all came together, we were pretty edicated to practice. It could have been a completely different turnout if we had a little bit longer. I think we would have been in that championship game."

Prior to the women's league starting, Malta Parks and Recreation Director Julia Tatafu was approached by Knudsen and Kayla Young hoping that a ladies' only league could be started.

"It was fun and I am glad that we were approached about the women's league," Tatafu said.