OTTAWA-Three different Baseball Canada National Championships were decided earlier today and some history was made, while it will take another day to decide the 21U National Championship in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia after rain washed-out Friday’s action.
Here’s a recap of today’s action:
13U National Western
Gold Medal: Pembina Hills 9 Cloverdale 4
Ben McCartney (MacDonald) pitched three scoreless innings of relief as Pembina Hills took the lead from Cloverdale in the fourth inning and never looked back to capture the gold medal at the 13U National Western Championship. Cloverdale took the lead in the first on the strength of a Rhys Folick (Cloverdale) two-run home run, but Pembina Hills stormed back with three in the fourth highlighted by a Matt Boychuk (Oakland) two-run double and Max Neill (Portage) RBI single. Boychuk had three hits, while starter Jordan Lussier (Winnipeg) was credited with the win.
Bronze Medal: Saskatoon 6 North Winnipeg 5
In the bronze medal game, Reed Boles (Saskatoon) pitched five solid innings and struck out seven, while teammate Blake Pongracz (Saskatoon) fanned four over two innings as Saskatoon held off North Winnipeg 6-5. Pongracz also scored two runs and had three hits including a double for Saskatoon who scored four runs in the fifth to take the lead. North Winnipeg’s Christian Ingram (Winnipeg) scored a run and went 2-for-4 with a double.
Senior Women
Gold Medal: Alberta 6 Ontario 2
There is a new champion at the Senior Women Invitational as Alberta knocked off two-time defending champions Ontario 6-2 to win their first ever title at the event. Melissa Armstrong (Saskatoon, SK) pitched five and two-thirds strong innings before giving way to Heather Northcott (Clive) who went the final inning and one-third to lead the westerners to victory. Alberta opened the scoring with four runs in the third highlighted by a Kelsey Lalor (Red Deer) triple with the bases loaded. Lalor came into score on a Carrie Jesperson (Spruce Grove) RBI single and Alberta did not look back en route to the gold medal. Ontario got one of the runs back in the top of the fourth, but Meagan Cornelssen’s (Grande Prairie) two run single in the bottom of the inning put the game out of reach. Nicole Garner (Burlington) had three hits for Ontario, while Ashley Stephenson (Oakville) and Cindy Saavedra (Toronto) had two apiece.
Bronze Medal: BC 1 Québec 0
BC rallied from a tough semi-final loss getting five shutout innings from Claire Eccles (Surrey), while Maryse Garcia (Surrey) and Amanda Asay (Prince George) each tossed a scoreless inning in relief as BC defeated Québec 1-0. The only run of the game scored in the bottom of the first on a Daniella Matteucci (Fruitvale) RBI groundout. Eccles struck out six and only gave up two huts, while Québec starter Sabrina Periard (Gatineau) was solid for five innings registering three strikeouts.
In semi-final action, it took nine innings as Alberta scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to defeat BC 4-3. Heidi Northcott (Rocky Mountain House) was strong through five innings allowing only one run. BC’s Daniella Matteucci tossed eight and two-thirds innings for BC with eight strikeouts in the loss. Carrie Jesperson’s (Spruce Grove) two-out single in the ninth scored Bradi Wall with the winning run.
In the other semi, Autumn Mills’ (Toronto) complete-game effort led Ontario to a 7-3 victory over Québec, while Kate Psota (Burlington) and Jen Gilroy (Mississauga) each had two hits and drove in two runs.
In placement games, Ontario (2) beat Nova Scotia 10-9 for seventh, while BC (2) beat Québec (2) 4-2 for fifth.
18U
Gold Medal: Québec 16 Alberta 6
A rain delay didn’t get in the way of Québec as they hit their way to a 16-6 win over Alberta in the gold medal game that lasted just six innings courtesy of the mercy rule. Québec had 12 hits with three coming from Tomy Blais (Ste-Julie) who scored four runs, while Benjamin Pelletier (Varennes) added two hits including a triple, scored three runs and drove in three runs. Québec led 10-0 after three before Alberta made a game of it scoring six in the fourth. Erik Sabrowski (St. Albert) and Jake Fischer (St. Albert) each drove in a pair of runs.
Bronze Medal: Québec (2) 6 BC 2
Québec (2) jumped out to a 3-1 lead after one inning and scored three more late to hold off BC 6-2 and win the bronze medal. Francois Durocher (Boucherville) was solid on the mound for Québec (2) going four and two-thirds innings giving up two runs on four hits and three walks, while fanning three. Gabriel Cote (Montréal) came on for the final two and one-third innings and allowed only one hit. Francis Tremblay (Québec City) went 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI.
In semi-final action, Québec made quick work of BC getting five shutout innings from Vincent Beauregard (Laval) who struck out 11 to lead his team to a 14-0 win. Tomy Blais drove in five runs as part of a 2-for-3 day at the plate.
In the other semi, Connor Burns (St. Albert) was the story allowing only one run and two hits over seven innings to lead Alberta to a 2-1 win over Québec (2). Mat Brisson (St. Albert) drove in one run for Alberta.
In placement games, Ontario beat Manitoba 16-0 to get fifth, Saskatchewan defeated PEI 15-9 to get seventh and Nova Scotia edged New Brunswick 4-3 to place ninth.
21U
A National Champion will have to wait until Monday to be determined but two tremendous semi-final games were played today at the 21U National Championship in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
In the first contest, Québec edged New Brunswick 2-1 on the strength of Marc-Antione Berube’s (Trois-Riviéres) five-hit gem. Berube allowed one run, scattered five hits and two walks, while striking out two to pick-up the complete game victory. Down 1-0 in the sixth, Québec tied the score on David Glaude’s (Québec City) RBI single and took the lead in the top of the seventh when Jerome Duchesneau (St-Redempteur) was hit by a pitch with two out and the bases loaded. Mark Leger (Saint John) had given his team a 1-0 lead in the first with a RBI single, while Pascal McCarthy (Fredericton) was strong on the mound for five and two-third innings.
In the other semi, BC got up by four runs and avoided a late Ontario comeback to advance to the gold medal game with a 4-3 win. Josh Larsen (Surrey) struck out eight over seven innings to pick up the win and Shane Wlodarczak (Richmond) and Jared Frew (Okotoks, AB) each drove in a run and had a pair of hits. For Ontario, Skylar Janisse (Tecumseh) had eight strikeouts over seven innings Steven Adam (Tecumseh) had a base hit and one RBI.
In other games, Québec got by Saskatchewan 10-2, New Brunswick beat Ontario (2) 15-8, Ontario edged host Dartmouth 3-2, Nova Scotia beat Manitoba 10-2 and BC topped Nova Scotia 6-5.
BC will meet Québec for gold, while Ontario and New Brunswick will battle for bronze. Both of tomorrow’s medal games will begin at 9am ET.
Notes: All Baseball Canada National Championship events can be followed with live scoring courtesy of Pointstreak. The 21U National Championship has live streaming available. Visit baseball.ca for details.
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