By Adam Morissette

Baseball Canada

After Thursday’s action was completely washed out due to heavy rains, 10 games were played on Friday at the Baseball Canada Cup in Moncton.

Host New Brunswick is the only team that hasn’t suffered a loss in the 10-team event as they sit atop Pool B with both Nova Scotia and Manitoba hot on their heels.

Over in Pool A, Ontario holds top spot with a 3-1 record after wins over BC and Québec.

Standings

Pool A

ON 3-1
SK 2-2
QC 2-2
BC 1-3

Pool B

NB 3-0
NS 2-1
MB 2-1
AB 1-2
PE 1-2
NL 0-3

Here’s a look at Friday’s action.

Saskatchewan 2, Québec 1

A pitcher’s duel that saw the eventual game-winning run score in the third on a hit batter with the base loaded gave Saskatchewan a 2-1 advantage as they hung on to hand Québec their first loss of the tournament. Aiden Gartner went five innings before Tyler McWillie tossed two scoreless frames to earn the save. Québ3c used five different pitchers and received a pair of hits and RBI from Cedric Degranpre. 

Manitoba 11, PEI 8 (8 innings)

Manitoba and PEI resumed their game that was suspended on Thursday and it turned into a wild one with Manitoba coming away with an extra-innings, 11-8, win over PEI. Manitoba scored five runs in the top of the eighth and received a 3-for-5 performance from Tristan Peters who also drove in a run. PEI’s Duncan Picketts collected a pair of hits and had one RBI in the loss.

Ontario 3, BC 1

Ontario starter Ben Adams came within one batter of tossing a complete-game as Ontario earned a come-from-behind, 3-1, win over BC. BC’s Carlin Dick carried a 1-0 lead into the seventh before Ontario struck for three runs to take the lead. Austin Gomm’s two-run single gave Ontario the lead before Adams recorded two outs in the bottom of the inning before being forced out of the game due to pitch count regulations. Jude Hall had an RBI single for BC in the fifth.

Alberta 12, Newfoundland & Labrador 3

Ayden Makarus and Michael Brisson drove in two runs each to lead Alberta to a 12-3 win over Newfoundland & Labrador. Thomas Little gave Alberta a solid start on the mound working three scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Daniel Hogarth had two hits in the loss for Newfoundland & Labrador.

Manitoba 8, Alberta 6

Manitoba pushed across three runs in the top of the seventh and hung on to defeat Alberta, 8-6. Jordan Lussier belted a solo home run and Matt Boychuk drove in three for Manitoba. Alberta received a solo home run from Ayden Makarus while Kai Reum drove in two as part of a 2-for-3 game at the plate.

Saskatchewan 1, BC 0

Earlier in the day, BC handed Saskatchewan a 3-0 defeat on the strength of a Joseph Sinclair complete-game, 11-strikeout shutout and Saskatchewan decided to return the favour later in the evening scoring a 1-0 win. Kyle Froehlich went six scoreless innings scattering five hits and a walk to earn the win while Emmett Graham tossed a scoreless seventh to get the save. Jayden Huls scored the lone runs of the ballgame coming on a BC error in the third.

In other scores:

New Brunswick remained unbeaten with a 13-12 win over Newfoundland & Labrador. Zach O’Hara drove in four for New Brunswick while Kobe Weir had a double and three RBI for Newfoundland & Labrador.

Nova Scotia topped PEI 12-2 in a game that saw Micah McDowell crack an RBI double while Noah Boutilier went 3-for-3 with an RBI.

Dante Wright and Owen Diodati homered as Ontario handled Québec, 17-0.

Baseball Canada Cup website
Live Streaming (Kiwanis Park only)
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