Walsh showed some pop for LL Eagles

* Jack Walsh hit 24 homers for the East Nepean Eagles on their way to the Little League World Series at Williamsport, Pa. .... 2014 Canadian draft list 2013 Canadians in the Minors  2013 Canadian collegians playing summer ball 2013 Canadians in College  Letters of Intent

By Bob Elliott

The catcher at the Rogers Centre Monday night who has had the best month slugging home runs was not J.P. Arencibia.

Jack Walsh hit 24 homers since July 28.

Part of the East Nepean Eagles, the Canadian Little League champions, who were honoured before Monday’s game against the New York Yankees, Walsh stood behind the velvet rope as the Blue Jays and the New York Yankees took batting practice.

“Derek Jeter is my favorite player,” said Walsh of Manotick, Ont., the most famous East Nepean Eagle since Andrew Tinnish, current Blue Jays assistant GM. “And I’d like to meet Alex Rodriguez. I always thought he was a good player, despite what people said about him.”

The Eagles were in Toronto on the way home from Williamsport, Penn. where they lost 10-2 to Chinese Taipei, a 4-3 win over the Czech Republic and a 12-0 loss to Panama.

The replay rule came into play against the Czech as David Legault was called out trying to score on a passed ball and Angus Adams tried to steal home and was thrown out.

Coach Mark Keeping asked for a replay to be examined on both plays. In both instances the plate ump reversed his call.

“Maybe we should hire you,” manager John Gibbons told Keeping as he made his way down the line congratulating the Little Leaguers.

Said Keeping, a school teacher from Shawville, Que. “I apologized to the ump after, but they were important runs.”

It all began for East Nepean at the districts where the Eagles went 4-0 at Pinecrest beating Kanata in the final.

Then, it was on to the regional in Casselman where they ran the table again, going 4-0. beating Oakville in the final with Walsh hitting nine homers in the tourney.

Next came the Canadian championship in Glace Bay, N.S. as the Eagles went 5-1 beating White Rock, B.C. in the final.

Add it up and the Eagles were 14-3.

“And we played two exhibition games at Williamsport after we were eliminated, so we were 2-3 there,” said Walsh.

And on Tuesday after almost a month-long trip the champs return to Nepean.