Pair of North Shore Twins shine for BC in Game 2 win
Rhys Cratty of BC Orange went 2-for-4. Photo Credit: Tyler King
By: Matt Betts
Canadian Baseball Network
It was a pair of North Shore Twins stole the spotlight in Game 2 of Tournament 12 for BC Orange.
Jack DeCooman was brilliant in his start, going four innings allowing a single hit and a walk while striking out seven. His North Shore teammate Sam Shoemaker came on in relief and closed the door on BC’s 3-0 win over Alberta Red to earn a save. The Vancouver pair would finish the game with a combined 12 strikeouts.
Boxscore: BC Orange 3 Alberta 0
As for the Alberta side, well, they say two-out walks kill.
BC Orange used back-to-back two-out walks in the first inning to cash their first run of the game off of Robert Gates. Rhys Cratty stroked a single over the third baseman to open the scoring.
Alberta Red tried to get back in it in the home half of the second. Soren Graverson started things off with a leadoff single and moved to second on a groundout. A walk by Gino Bourget and a passed ball later, Sorenson was standing on third. Bourget stole second, putting runners on second and third with one out. DeCooman kept his cool on the mound striking out the next two hitters to get himself out of trouble.
The fourth started off with back-to-back singles for BC Orange. Cratty poked his second hit of the game through the left side to get things rolling followed by a single up the middle by Noah Or. An error by Alberta first baseman Graverson, his second of the game, allowed BC’s second run to score and put runners on second and third with none out. After having a runner cut down at the plate on a slow roller to third, BC scored their third run of the game on a ground out by Brett Bass.
Gates’ day was done after four. He allowed three hits, three runs (two earned) with three walks and four strikeouts. He was replaced by Shaun Atamanchuk who didn't allow a run the rest of the way.
BC coach Paul Spoljaric was certainly impressed with his pitchers their approaches when starting with the 1-1 count, a part of the Tournament 12 format.
“Having the 1-1 count puts the hitters in swing mode, especially with the scouts here,” Spoljaric said. “Our guy did a nice job getting ahead.”
His players made it easy for him to coach in this one as Alberta managed just one hit.
“I just trying to talk to them about little things mechanically, a few pointers here and there,” Spoljaric said. “It is a great opportunity for them and for all the players with this many scouts here.”
Alberta coach Les McTavish admits his team may have been a little nervous in their first game of the tournament.
“It is early in the tournament and the kids seemed a little tentative,” McTavish said. “You have to be aggressive. The big thing is to let the kids play, put a smile on your face and enjoy it.”
McTavish wants his players to keep everything in perspective.
“It can be intimidating,” McTavish said. “They just have to remember that their careers won’t be made today and they won’t be broken today either."
Alberta Red now readies for Ontario Green Saturday morning while BC Orange has another tough test against Ontario Black Saturday afternoon.