Elliott: Mississauga Majors' Marisa Shah whiffs a loud mouth ... twice
July 27, 2024
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
The Mississauga Majors 12U team was entering the diamond at Cooperstown All-Star Village a few days ago.
So was their opponents -- EMW Tribe of Elma, NY, a Buffalo suburb -- when players saw Marisa Shah of the Majors sporting a ponytail.
And then the pre-game exchange went something like this:
Opposing player: “You have a girl on your team?”
Yes.
Opposing player: “Why?”
Well, she made the team and is good enough.
Opposing player: “She should just stick to softball.”
Oh really?
Well, Marisa happened to be on the mound for the Majors that game and Marisa happened to strike out the YOP (Yappy Opposing Player).
Not once ... but twice.
The Majors scored a 3-2 victory and Marisa worked six innings, allowing two unearned runs for the victory. Marisa allowed five hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out five.
And afterwards, the YOP refused to shake the hand of the pitcher who struck him out twice.
“Marisa was a rock star on the bump for us,” said coach Ryan Wakelin. “Much to the dismay and disdain of several American boys. Before the game there was venomous disbelief.
“It was a highlight in an amazing week for us where we went 3-3 in the round robin play, a great feat for a Canadian club.”
Not to be overlooked on the highlight scale were Khristhan Sarathkumar and Josiah (Jo-Jo) Morales — younger brother of outstanding 18U catcher Elijah Morales — hitting three home runs each.
Marisa’s day reminds me of a T-shirt I saw a young woman ballplayer wearing years ago.
It read: “You wish you could throw like a girl!”
Marisa, daughter of former Erindale Cardinals’ Nimish Shah, may only be 12, but Marisa made the 15U Summer Games team competing in London this week.
Well done, Marisa.
A great form of redemption.