The tradition of Alberta’s podium finishes at the Baseball Canada 16U National Championships continues.
So, too, does the quest for gold.
For a third year in a row, the Team Alberta Bighorns have picked up a silver medal at the annual tournament, coming closest to their ultimate goal this summer in Moncton, New Brunswick.
It was a heartbreaking final with Alberta picking up an early 3-0 lead before a seesaw battle came to a close with Quebec taking the 6-5 decision.
After having the medals placed around their necks, the disappointment was quickly replaced by pride at how close they came.
“It was a very close game – it was a good ball game and we did everything right,” utility player Grady Hadwin told Alberta Dugout Stories. “It might be silver, but it’s still a huge accomplishment that we should be proud of.”
It marks the sixth straight summer that Alberta has claimed a medal at the 16U Nationals, having also picked up a silver in 2019 and bronze in both 2022 and 2023.
With a young core of players who could potentially return and some young talent on the horizon, they believe another push is coming in 2027.
ROLLING TO THE SEMIS
With several returning players from the 2025 Canada Summer Games team that won silver, Team Alberta was primed to get back to the championship game.
With Chris James at the helm again as head coach, they got off to a good start with a convincing 8-2 win over Saskatchewan, with Hadwin and Oakley Tanner (Edmonton) leading the way with two runs batted in apiece.
The Bighorns then upended B.C. with a 10-3 triumph as Hadwin was again all over the scoresheet with three doubles, a single, two runs scored and an RBI while Tanner and Kiana Umbeer (Spruce Grove) drove in two more.
They hit their first major roadblock with a 19-7 loss to Quebec, before bouncing back with a 10-7 win over Ontario on the strength of Sophia Welbourn going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Wrapping up pool play with a 3-1 record, the squad cemented their spot in the semifinals.
“The energy in the dugout was honestly amazing all the way from game one until the end of the tournament,” Welbourn said. “Within the span of only a couple of weeks, all of the girls became really close and with everyone having the same goal and mindset, it led us to be extremely successful.”
AN INSTANT CLASSIC
The good times kept rolling for Alberta heading into the semis as Cora Rydel (Edmonton) went 2-for-3 with three RBI while Ara Siemens (Calgary) drove in two more in an 11-5 win over Ontario in a rematch of their final round robin game.
That set up a return ticket against the team that gave them the hardest time earlier in the tournament: Quebec.
“I think we really want to attack with our bats,” said Hadwin, who is a product of Consort and Neutral Hills Academy. “If we saw a strike, we really wanted to do some damage, get runners around, and have team at-bats to get those runs.”
Defensively, she said the key was simply taking care of the baseball, as a couple of errors helped extend innings in their first game against Quebec.
Things started extremely well for Alberta, capitalizing on wild pitches and aggressive baserunning to score three runs in the first inning.
Quebec bounced back in the second with a four-spot before Alberta regained the lead with a two-run single from Tanner in the third.
Marianne Boulet and Florence Bergeron drove in runs in the bottom half of the fourth to give Quebec the 6-5 lead.
Hadwin and Welbourn kept the opposition bats in check the rest of the way, as did the efforts of Maika Martineau and Eve Beaudoin on the other side, as the score remained unchanged the rest of the way.
DREAMING OF THE FUTURE
The Alberta contingent is quick to tip their caps to Quebec on the gold medal, as they finished the tournament with a 6-0 record.
It also gave them a glimpse into what needs to happen for them to be on the top of the podium at the 16U event and others going forward like the 19U and Women’s Nationals.
While it wasn’t the colour of the medal they were looking to get, they are still grateful for the opportunity to represent their home province.
“I’m super thankful for our coaches, parents, teammates and everyone who supported us throughout the whole tournament,” said Welbourn.
“Being able to share this experience with them and come home with a medal is something that I will consider a huge accomplishment forever.”
It was a big tournament for the Calgary native, who was named the Top Defensive Player, which she says means a lot to her for all the extra attention she’s given that side of the game over the last couple of years and how far she’s come.
The tournament is also important in making good first impressions with Baseball Canada brass as they plan for future years of the Women’s National Team.
Hadwin – who led the team with a .571 batting average to go along with five RBI, 10 runs scored and four stolen bases while logging the most innings pitched with nine including five in the gold medal game – says it would be a huge honour getting to represent Canada before too long.
“I think it’s a dream we all have when we’re young,” she said. “You just have to get the reps, offensively and defensively, and you have to work hard because it’s not easy to get there. It’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears.”
The Baseball Canada 16U Girls National Championships will return to Moncton in 2027.
