What a week of fastpitch action in the Lower Mainland Fastpitch League (LMFL)! Week 6 delivered everything a softball fan could ask for: absolute shutouts, high-scoring slugfests, and plenty of movement across the division.
The Vancouver Lomas continue to sit comfortably at the top of the mountain with a stellar 6-0-1 record, while the Richmond Athletics (4-1-0) and Steveston Canadians (5-1-1) remain hot on their heels. Let’s break down how all the action unfolded across the diamonds this week.
Tuesday Night Lights: Dominant Debuts & High Scores
Steveston Canadians Cruise Past Richmond Rays (9-2)
The Steveston Canadians showed exactly why they are a top-tier threat this season with a commanding 9-2 victory over the Richmond Rays.
- The Ace Performance: Tyson Barkman was absolutely electric on the rubber, tossing 4.0 innings of shutout ball, surrendering 0 hits, and striking out an astonishing 11 batters.
- Offensive Spark: Scott Turner paced the Canadians’ offense, collecting 2 hits and scoring 3 runs to lead an 11-hit barrage that put the Rays away early.
Connaught Meralomas Outlast Ladner Masters (7-3)
In a hard-fought battle, the Meralomas used a massive 5-run 4th inning to separate themselves from the Masters, ultimately securing a 7-3 victory.
- Nathan Krieger earned the win with a gritty performance, striking out 5 over 5.2 innings pitched.
- For the Masters, Garret Geytman banged out a triple, but Ladner couldn’t string enough runs together to overcome the 4th-inning deficit.
Wednesday Blockbusters: High Drama and Run Rules
Vancouver Lomas Fire on All Cylinders vs. Connaught Jazz (9-1)
The league-leading Lomas didn’t waste any time extending their unbeaten streak, capitalizing on 9 hits to down the Connaught Jazz 9-1 in 5 innings.
- Deep Drive: Andrew Kearney launched a home run, while Clint Taylor provided major damage with a clutch triple.
- Derek Mayson locked it down on the mound, giving up just one run over 4.0 efficient innings to pick up the win.
Richmond Athletics Edge Langley Hounds (4-1)
In a premier matchup between two heavyweight squads, the Athletics leaned heavily on ace Nate Thiessen to shutdown the high-powered Hounds.
- Thiessen threw a masterpiece, allowing just 1 hit and 1 unearned run while striking out 13 over a complete 7.0-inning performance.
- Merrick Roberts went 2-for-3 with two runs scored to guide Richmond’s offense past a tough Josh Anderson, who struck out 11 in a losing effort for Langley.
Connaught Jazz Bounce Back vs. Richmond Rays (6-3)
The Jazz showed serious resilience, bouncing back later in the week to down the Rays 6-3, fueled by a late 4-run surge in the 6th inning.
- Zane Davies went the distance on the mound, keeping the Rays at bay to claim the win.
- Tyler Fraser was the offensive hero for the Jazz, collecting 2 hits, including a crucial triple.
Thursday Nightcaps: Masterclasses and Rivalry Runs
Surrey Rebels Blank Ladner Masters (8-0)
The Surrey Rebels put together arguably the most complete team performance of the week, combining a lethal offense with a flawless combined no-hitter to blank Ladner 8-0.
- The No-No: Rene D’Entremont (3.0 IP, 6 SO) and Rolly Singal (2.0 IP, 3 SO) combined forces to throw 5.0 innings of completely hitless fastpitch.
- Boom Goes the Dynamite: Brian Nicholas blew the game open with a towering home run, finishing the night with 2 RBIs, while Matt Parsons set the table beautifully from the top of the order, going 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored.
Connaught Meralomas Take the Battle of Connaught over the Rangers (6-3)
Closing out the week’s action, the Meralomas picked up their second win of Week 6 by fending off the cross-town rival Rangers 6-3.
- In an incredibly high-hit affair where the teams combined for 25 total hits, the Meralomas’ defense and pitching strand-rate proved to be the difference maker.
- Eric Orton and Fabio Diaz both collected triples for the Meralomas, while Derek Rudderham’s monster 4-hit night for the Rangers unfortunately went unrewarded.
The Big Picture: Look at the Standings
As the dust settles on Week 6, the middle of the pack is tightening up immensely. The Richmond Rays and Surrey Rebels are locked at 3 wins apiece, while the Meralomas are making a steady climb to get back into striking distance of the top four.
| Team | Wins | Losses | Ties |
| Vancouver Lomas | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| Richmond Athletics | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Steveston Canadians | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Langley Hounds | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Richmond Rays | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Surrey Rebels | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| Ladner Masters | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Connaught Meralomas | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Connaught Jazz | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Connaught Rangers | 0 | 5 | 1 |