There was no better way to end the month of July than with the 30th annual Summer Splash Slo-Pitch Baseball Tournament.
In total, 20 teams came to Nakusp for the tournament, four of which were made up of Nakusp locals. The first game of the tournament took place on the evening of July 29, with local team S*** Show Productions (SSP) going up against team Shut Up and Drink (SUD). Team Sud were easily identifiable, wearing neon pink shirts with the names of different drinks on the backs, such as six pack, jaegerbomb, and kamikaze.
The first part of the game went well for SSP. By the end of the second inning they were leading 12-3. This unfortunately wouldn’t last. Though they gave it their all, SUD wound up winning the game with a score of 19-17.
“It’s just the game of baseball,” said Zac Wethal, head coach for team SSP. “You hit the ball well sometimes, and you don’t other times. It’s the way she goes.”
Though the first game of the tournament was intense, there were some funny moments. Early in the game a member of team SUD, Mountain Dew Me, had to run back and forth between second and third base trying to avoid being tagged out.
Teams also showed a compassionate side throughout the games. When a member of team SSP blew out his knee, the other team allowed for a substitute to be called in, despite the fact that the team had already used up their four subs.
Another highlight of the tournament was the Home Run Derby, sponsored by The Hut, who donated $200 cash for the winners — $100 for the men and $100 for the women.
At least 20 male players and 20 female players signed up for the derby. The goal was to get as many home runs as possible until the batter got three outs. Women swung from second base, while the men swung from the home plate. In order to take part, each player must put up ten dollars. That money goes into the winning pot. Prize money for the women totalled $300, while prize money for the men totalled $390.
The final game of the tournament was the Grey Jays vs. the Browns. Both teams are from Kelowna, but most of the members of the Grey Jays actually grew up in Nakusp. Both teams did their best, but in the end the Browns came out on top with a score of 20-16.
“We started off slow, we were down 10-0, but we fought hard and lost by four,” said Brad Spavor, head coach of the Grey Jays. “Overall a pretty good performance by our team.”
Residents enjoyed the tournament, and many think of it as a great way to spend some time with their families.
“In the summer there’s not a lot for families or people with young kids in town, so it’s a nice little attraction,” said Kara Yano. “It gives them something to do, especially on a long weekend.”