Baseball Canada Championships: Three events get started

By: Adam Morissette

Canadian Baseball Network

Ottawa, ON – The 18U Championship, 21U Men Championship and 16U Girls Invitational all got underway to kick off what will be another action-packed weekend for Baseball Canada. Vaughan, ON plays host for the 16U Girls Invitational for the first time while Regina, SK hosts the 21U for the second straight year and Sherbrooke, QC hosts the 18U for a third consecutive time.

Here is a recap of the day’s action:

18U Championship

Newfoundland 9 Manitoba 6

Starting pitcher Ben Murphy (St. John’s, NL) earned the win for Newfoundland after holding the opposition to three runs over four innings on the mound. Doug King (Corner Brook, NL) went 3-for-3 with an RBI to contribute offensively. Manitoba’s Jordan Foote (Boissevain, MB) went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs in the losing effort.

New Brunswick 11 Prince Edward Island 1

New Brunswick’s seven-run inning in the first went on to last them the game in this one. Closer Zack Gosse (Miramich, NB) picked up the win after striking out two over 1.2 perfect innings. Jeremie Arseneau (Dieppe, NB) went 2-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored while Declan Buckle (Dieppe, MB) was 2-for-2 at the plate with a triple and four RBIs.

Saskatchewan 8 Nova Scotia 4

Tyler McWillie’s (Watrous, SK) grand slam in the bottom of the third ended up being the difference-maker for Saskatchewan. Brody Frerichs (Muenster, SK) also contributed offensively in the win going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Ontario 5 Québec ’18 4

Ontario put up two runs in the bottom of the seventh to walk it off as this one went down to the wire. Closer Tristan Mansfield (Brampton, ON) was credited with the win allowing only one earned run over 2.1 innings of relief work. Josh Krstulovich (Brampton, ON) drove in three runs to contribute offensively in the win.

Alberta 5 Québec ’17 4

Alberta’s Graham Brunner (Sherwood Park, AB) went the distance limiting Québec to four runs and striking out three over seven innings. Aidan Huggins (Edmonton, AB), Gino Bourget (Bonnyville, AB) and TJ Dietrich (Edmonton, AB) each picked up an RBI in the win.

Newfoundland 7 Nova Scotia 3

Starting pitcher Riley King (Gander, NL) earned the win limiting Nova Scotia’s offense to one run on three hits and two walks over 4.2 innings. Dylan MacKenzie (St. John’s, NL) went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and came across to score three times.

Manitoba 5 Prince Edward Island 4

Jordan Peck (Winnipeg, MB) came up with a solid performance on the mound for Manitoba to be credited with the win. Peck limited PEI to two hits over two innings and struck out two while the only allowed run was unearned. John Patmore (Pipestone, MB) picked up two hits and scored a run in the win.

New Brunswick 6 Saskatchewan 4

Brett Mercier (Moncton, NB) provided an important piece of the offense going 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Teammate Declan Buckle (Dieppe, NB) drove in three runs of his own on a double in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead. Saskatchewan’s Parker McRae (Nipawin, SK) homered and doubled in the losing effort.

British Columbia 9 Ontario 2

Brodan Bydeweg (Surrey, BC) went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored in what was an impressive performance to carry BC’s offense. BC’s pitching staff combined for eight strikeouts holding Ontario to two runs on three hits.

Québec ’18 11 Québec ’17 6

Francois Guimont (Sainte-Julie, QC) lead the offense in this one going 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Guimont also picked up a stolen base and scored two runs of his own.  Alexis Latreille (St Eustache, QC) was also an important piece of the offense going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

21U Men Championship

Ontario 11 British Columbia 4

Six players for Ontario had multi-hit games as the offense really came together to support Connor Mailloux (Windsor, ON) in his complete game performance. Mailloux held BC to four runs while striking out six over seven innings. Matthew Deneau (Amherstburg, ON) went 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs to lead the offense.

Nova Scotia 0 Québec 7

Luca Serafin (Québec, QC) stepped up with a stellar performance on the mound to lead his team to victory. Serafin earned the win after six shutout innings while giving up only two hits and striking out four. Jonathan Martin (L’Assomption, QC) provided the offense going 2-for-3 with a double and a home run and driving in three runs.

New Brunswick 8 Saskatchewan 2

Starting pitcher Sam Lund (Riverview, NB) went the distance in the win striking out eight over seven innings and not allowing a single earned run. Nick Gaudet (Fredericton, NB) provided the run support going 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs.

Regina 18 Manitoba 1

The bats came alive for Regina in the top of the fourth as they put up a whopping 14 runs to close this one out. Kendal Daniels (Regina, SK) earned the win holding Manitoba to one run over four innings while striking out five. Jordan Dezotell (Regina, SK) and Ryker Toffan (Regina, SK) both picked up three hits and four RBIs each in the win.

16U Girls Invitational

Ontario 21 Newfoundland 4

Caitlin Tomotsugu (Vaughan, ON) was as effective on the mound as she was at the plate as Ontario put up a monstrous offensive effort to win their first game of the tournament. Tomotsugu earned the win allowing no earned runs and striking out three over two innings. In the batter’s box, she went 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored.

Manitoba 4 Nova Scotia 3

Pitcher Jamie Johnson was perfect over three innings of relief work while striking out four to be credited with the win. Laura Kilbrei (Arborg, MB) picked up a couple of stolen bases and came across to score twice to spark Manitoba’s offense. Nova Scotia’s Katie Hagen (Dartmouth, NS) recorded nine strikeouts and allowed only one earned run despite the loss. Hagen also doubled and tripled going 2-for-3 at the plate.

British Columbia 13 Québec Grey 2

BC’s offense exploded in the bottom of the first with a nine-run inning to take a lead that lasted the game. Jessie McKay (Kelowna, BC) tossed 2.1 shutout innings to earn the win for BC while limiting the opposition to two hits and striking out three. Jayan Nickolet (McKenzie, BC) went 3-for-4 with three doubles and three RBIs in what was a very strong performance at the plate.

Ontario 11 Alberta 10

Despite a huge 10-run inning in the top of the fourth, Alberta couldn’t match Ontario’s offense who rallied with six run in the bottom of the seventh to walk it off. Closer Emily Baxter (Oakville, ON) was credited with the win after 1.2 perfect innings with four strikeouts. Meagan Barry (Etobicoke, ON) went 3-for-4 with three RBIs in the win.

Québec Blue 29 Saskatchewan 3

Québec was a force to be reckoned with in this one as their bats proved to be unstoppable putting up multiple 10+ run innings. Saskatchewan couldn’t solve Meghan Jasmin (Montréal, QC) who went 5-for-5 at the plate with four RBIs and five runs scored.