By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network

When he was young and in his prime David Coleman used to attend minor peewee tournaments and hit home runs ... nine at a time.

Now, that he is mature and hitting line drives for the Ontario Blue Jays, he finished as the team’s leading hitter at the Perfect Game WWBA 17U national championship. Coleman (Mississauga, Ont.) went 7-for-14 (.500) with a double and three RBIs at Perfect Game Park at LakePoint in Cartersville, Ga.

Coleman, who once hit nine homers at Cooperstown’s Field of Dream Parks for the Mississauuga Southwest Twins, helped the Ontario Blue Jays to a 2-4-1 record. 

In the opener, Coleman went 2-for-2 and knocked in the only Blue Jays run in a 1-1 tie against the Dirtbags 17U Platinum (Va). David McCabe (Courtice, Ont.) added a triple. Lucas Barry (Mississauga, Ont.) pitched four innings allowing one run in two hits and two walks. He struck out three with his fastball clocked at 88 MPH, as he threw 69% of his 75 pitches for strikes. Will Potter (Kincardine, Ont.) pitched 1 1/3 innings scoreless a 29-pitch outing (62% strikes) being clocked at 79. And Kyle Lev (Mississauga, Ont.) retired the final two hitters with an 80 MPH fastball.

Next, the Ontario Blue Jays scored in the first three innings and then added five in seventh for a 10-0 win over the CSB Spikes. C Joshua Cipolla (Oakville, Ont.) -- big brother of Lucas Cipolla, but no relation  to Charlie Cipolla -- had three hits including a double and two RBIs. CF Coleman had a pair of hits, knocking in a run and 1B Arthur Kowara (Toronto, Ont.) and McCabe each singled, driving in a run. Other hits went to SS Josh Golden (Toronto, Ont.) and 2B Ashton Feijo (Mississauga, Ont.), who doubled. Dalton Brownlee (Innisfil, Ont.) pitched five scoreless throwing 64% of his pitches for strikes, his fastball hitting 81 MPH. He gave up two hits and walked three.  Michael Bridgens (Burlington, Ont.) and Nicolas Castonguay (Mississauga, Ont.) each worked a scoreless inning fanning one each.

Next, the Ontario Blue Jays fell 4-1 to the 643 DP Cougars Sterling. Brandon Deans (Mississauga, Ont.) pitched four innings allowing four runs, taking the loss allowing five hits and five walks, as he whiffed one. Deans threw 52% strikes and his fastball was clocked at 87 MPH. Mathew Barta (Toronto, Ont.) pitched 1 2/3 innings, walking three, striking out one at 80 MPH. Josh Gencel (Toronto, Ont.) also had a scoreless outing. At the plate, LF Spencer McDonell (Kleinburg, Ont.) doubled, while other hits went to SS Jason Chiu (Scarboroughm, Ont.), RF Golden, 3B McCabe and DH Feijo, who knocked in the only run.

The Ontario Blue Jays went to 1-2-1 with a 7-6 loss to the Academy Select. RF Blake Buckle (Milton, Ont.) tripled and homered knocking in three runs, while Coleman doubled, singled and drove in a run. Lev had a 94-pitch outing in five innings allowing four runs on five hits and six walks in five innings. He threw 54% strikes, with a 78 MPH fastball. Castonguay didn’t get much support allowing three unearned runs and walking four. Another Coleman teammate with the Twins, 2B Christian Cummins (Mississauga, Ont.) singled in a run, while C Conrad Erasmus (Mississauga, Ont.) doubled. The other hits went to LF Khalid Collymore (Mississauga, Ont.) and Chiu. Feijo drove in a run.

Then, eXposure Prime 17U beat the Ontario Blue Jays 5-1 with a pair of runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth for a 5-1 decision. Potter started and threw 95 pitches allowing five runs -- two earned -- on five hits and three walks. He threw 67% strikes and his fastball was clocked at 80 MPH. Bridgens followed with 1 1/3 scoreless, striking out one. Cummins had a pair of singles and drove in a run, while Feijo singled. 

The Ontario Blue Jays scored their second win with a 5-1 decision over Chandler World 201 as Dylan Szajkovics pitched five scoreless innings allowing five hits and two walks. The Plainfield, Ill. pick up  fanned five and hit 88 MPH in his 66-pitch outing, averaging 54% strikes. Barry pitched two innings giving up one run on one hit and a walk as he hit 87 MPH. 3B McCabe had two hits, including a double and knocked in a run. Darcy Darichuk (Burlington, Ont.), yet another Coleman teammate with the Twins, and Sean Pettener (Hamilton, Ont.) each drove in a run, while Coleman added another single.

And in the finale, the Ontario Blue Jays fell 9-3 to Team Colorado Gienger 9-3 as RF Buckle doubled in a pair of runs. LF Spencer McDonell doubled in a run and 3B Feijo also doubled. Gencel worked two innings allowing four runs -- two earned -- on three hits and a walk. Next, Deans took over pitching two innings allowing three runs -- two earned -- on two hits and two walks. He struck out three. Barta pitched 1 2/3 inning giving up two runs -- one earned -- on three walks. 

Perfect Game
Scouting blog
By Matt Arvin
Blake Buckle (2019, Milton, Ontario) is currently one of the best amateur players in Canada, and his sweet lefthanded swing has good balance, lift and strength in it. He put those attributes to use in game action Monday morning when he hit a long triple to his pull side. With a strong build, he profiles as a power corner outfield, and his arm, for the time being, will play at any of the three outfield positions. Heady and instinctual, the uncommitted outfielder is an outstanding option for any college program in the country.

Pool F    PCT    W    L    T    RA    RS
eXposure Prime 17U    .857    6    1    0    14    35
Team Colorado Gienger    .714    5    2    0    20    32
Academy Select    .643    4    2    1    25    43
643 DP Cougars Sterling    .571    4    3    0    33    38
ChandlerWorld 2019    .500    3    3    1    23    25
Ontario Blue Jays     .357    2    4    1    27    27
Dirtbags 17U Platinum VA    .286    1    4    2    29    20
CSB Spikes 17u    .071    0    6    1    57    8