Beer a cool one for Niagara County

* SS Chris Beer (Burlington, Ont.) had two hits and two RBIs as the Niagara County Thunder Wolves opened the  NJCAA Division III World Series with a 15-7 win over the Montgomery Raptors. ....  Canadians drafted in the top 200 Top Canucks drafted year by year Canuck$ with si$-figue bonu$

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By Bob Elliott

The Niagara County Thunder Wolves went with a 1-2-3 Canadian punch at the NJCAA Division III World Series at Mike Carter Field in Tyler, Tex.

Lead-off man 2B Kyle Craig (Richmond, Ont.), No. 2 hitter SS Chris Beer (Burlington, Ont.) and RF Russell McGibbon (Pickering, Ont.) combined for four hits and a pair of RBIs as Niagara County opened the tourney with a 15-7 win against the Montgomery Raptors.

Beer went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and two stolen bases.

McGibbon singled and knocked in a run, while Craig singled.

Game 2 didn’t go as well for coach Matt Clingersmith, an 8-5 loss to the Gloucester County Road Runners. McGibbon had a single and Beer knocked in a run.

Next came a loss to the Brookhaven Bears by a 6-2 score, ending the Thunder Wolves season with a 38-18 record. McGibbon, who earned MVP honours as Niagara County won the District A/Region 3 championship in Little Falls, N.Y., had a single.

The three Canucks went 6-for-38 (.158) with four RBIs in the three games: a win, a loss and a loss to eventual national champion Gloucester County.

On the season ... McGibbon, a first-team all-region selection, batted .420 with eight doubles, five triples, two homers and 38 RBIs in 51 games. Beer hit .321 with eight doubles, two triples and 33 RBIs in 47 games. Craig, who earned second team honours, hit .288 with 10 doubles, three triples, two homers and 37 RBIs in 53 games. James Audian (Montreal North, Que.) batted .136 with three RBIs in 15 games.

On the mound ... Brendan Saville (Ottawa, Ont.) was 2-0 with a save and a 2.05 ERA. He walked 16 and struck out 24 in 22 innings. Beer was 0-2 with two saves and a 3.86 ERA. He walked five and struck out three in seven innings. Cam Hall (Fort Erie, Ont.) was 2-3 with one save and a 5.40 ERA. He walked three and struck out 13 in 15 innings. Jacob Murphy (Toronto, Ont.) had a 5.40 ERA, striking out three in five innings and RHP Taylor Larkin (Morell, PEI) had a 12.00 ERA, walking two and striking out a pair in three innings.