Langley Blaze win BCPBL championship

The Langley Blaze captured the B.C. Premier Baseball League championship on Aug. 1 with a resounding 13-1 win over the Victoria Eagles at McLeod Athletic Park. Photo supplied.

August 10, 2021

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The Langley Blaze captured the B.C. Premier Baseball League (BCPBL) championship on Aug. 1 with a resounding 13-1 win over the Victoria Eagles at McLeod Athletic Park.

Second baseman Nathan Kirkpatrick had three of the Blaze’s 14 hits in the title-winning contest and also knocked in five runs with a double and two singles. Jacob Zibin added two hits, two runs and three RBIs for the Blaze, while right-hander Tom Poole started and went the full six innings, allowing just four hits, while striking out five. Poole also went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk at the plate.

The contest remained close through four innings, with the Blaze leading 3-1, before they exploded for six runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth.

The Blaze, under head coach Jamie Bodaly, had advanced to the championship game with a convincing 8-1 win over the White Rock Tritons in the semi-final. Poole also helped propel the Blaze to a victory in that game, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a triple and three runs while serving as the team’s DH. Shortstop Pierce Radke pitched in with two hits and two RBIs for the Blaze, while right-hander Jacob Sedun went the distance, holding the Tritons to two hits and one run, while fanning seven batters.

The Blaze, who hosted the tournament, posted a 3-1 record in round-robin play, registering wins over the North Delta Blue Jays, Victoria Mariners and Parksville Royals.

Their sole loss of the tourney was a 3-2 defeat to the Coquitlam Reds in their first game.

The Blaze also finished atop the BCPBL regular season standings with a 19-5 record.

Tom Poole, who excelled on the mound (1.54 ERA) and at the page (.364 batting average) was named the Blaze’s 2021 Team MVP. Photo: David Zuskind

Poole, who excelled on the mound (1.54 ERA) and at the plate (.364 batting average) for the Blaze this season, was named the club’s 2021 Team MVP.