By: Nick Ashbourne

Canadian Baseball Network

A five-RBI day from Adam Estey provided the offence as Atlantic Maroon dropped Prairies Purple 9-0 in the Tournament 12 opener on Friday at Rogers Centre. 

Maroon jumped all over Purple reliever Nathan Slobodian in the fifth to get all the runs they would need for the win. The right-hander allowed all seven batters he faced to reach base with three singles, three walks and a hit batsman. Estey delivered the dagger with a two-out bases-clearing double into the left-field corner. By the time the inning was over Maroon had secured a 7-0 lead.

Box Score: Atlantic Maroon 9 Prairies Purple 0

Garrett Nicholson got the start for the Atlantic squad going three scoreless innings allowing only a single hit with three walks and eight strikeouts. Nicholson's control deserted him at times, but he buckled down in high-leverage situations getting six of his eight punchouts with men on base. Whenever Purple threatened it seemed they had no answer for his fastball high-and-in.

In relief, Ethan Francis completed the shutout with four sterling innings striking out eight with a single walk and two hits allowed. Francis loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh but escaped to preserve the goose egg.

The Prairies team also got a strong effort from their starter as Connor Sparks kept Maroon under wraps for four innings. The right-hander struck out five, walked three and allowed three hits.

Early on both teams consistently found ways to get base runners, but the big hit to cash them in remained elusive. The two squads were a combined 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position in the first four innings as the score remain deadlocked at 0-0. 

Maroon added to their lead in the seventh as Estey struck again with a two-run triple to take the lead up to 9-0. 

Prairies Purple plays again on Friday against Futures Navy while Atlantic Maroon's next contest will be against Quebec Blue on Saturday morning.