BIGS Seeds Baseball Canada Cup: Two walk-offs as competition heats up

Photo: Baseball Canada

August 9, 2019

By Joseph Mastromatteo

Baseball Canada

REGINA - The BIGS Seeds Baseball Canada Cup continued on Friday. With Quarter-Finals set to begin Saturday night, Friday’s games had an increased sense of urgency.

Nova Scotia (4-0) continued their impressive run and remains undefeated at the top of Group B. Ontario (3-1) has only been beaten once and holds first place in Group A.

New Brunswick and Alberta’s early contest was close until the sixth. New Brunswick’s lineup came alive and scored four runs. Alberta was shut out the rest of the game and New Brunswick won 8-4.

Ontario took on Québec in a rematch of their Wednesday afternoon meeting, where Ontario won 10-4. The game was close as the two top teams of Group A were tied 2-2 entering the seventh. In the bottom of the inning, Ontario loaded the bases after a hit by pitch and two walks. A Joshua Niles sacrifice fly cashed in Justin Carinci and Ontario walked off Québec 3-2.

British Columbia blasted eight runs in the second inning and ended up beating Saskatchewan 11-5. BC’s Luciano Letteri and Russell Young led the way with two hits, two runs, and two RBI.

Nova Scotia came back from a three-run deficit in the seventh and walked off Newfoundland to win 12-11. After five quick runs in the first, Nova Scotia fell behind late in the game. Yet they managed to score four and win in the bottom of the seventh, finalized by Breton Sibley’s game-winning double.

Manitoba dominated New Brunswick and secured an 11-1 victory. Runs were put on the Manitoba board every inning except the third, and the game was called after the sixth. Dawson Tanner tossed all six innings, allowing only two New Brunswick hits compared to Manitoba’s fourteen.

Alberta and Prince Edward Island’s afternoon game was not easy on the pitchers. Both teams generated hits throughout the game. While both teams scored runs, back to back four-run rallies in the third and fourth innings for PEI led to the win. Three Islanders had multiple hits in their 10-7 effort over Alberta.