Majors win EBLO 16U title on 3 CGs (almost) by Robson, Pieper, & Jake Heinbuch
RHP Alex Pieper allowed one hit in 5 2/3 innings in a 1-0 win against North Toronto at Talbot Park. Photos: Roberto Pieper Studios, Kingston branch.
August 2, 2022
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
As any sandlot tournament draws to a close the final days are long on walks, base hits and very, very short bordering on nonexistent on complete games.
In winning five straight games to take the consolation side of the Battle of the Falls 16U in Niagara Falls, N.Y., the Mississauga Majors peeled off three complete games in the quarters, semi-final and the final as Yenna Robson, Elijah Morales and Aidan Luther all went the distance.
When the Majors won the Elite Baseball League of Ontario Showcase league tournament, they ran the table -- six straight wins -- and came within one out of doing the same thing with three straight complete games, as Alex Pieper, Robson and Jake Heinbuch almost duplicated the feat.
Pieper needed help from Lucas Marciello for the 21st and final out in a 1-0 win over North Toronto, Robson pitched a complete game 10-0 win -- needing am amazing only 36 pitches -- and Heinbuch allowed one unearned run in the championship, a 4-1 win against the Etobicoke Rangers.
The opener
The Majors beat the North Toronto A’s at Sentenal Park 5-3. 2B Jackson Irving doubled, singled and knocked in a pair of runs. Jake Heinbuch singled in a run, while Luke Heinbuch doubled and Marciello each doubled.
Luther pitched 2 2/3 innings in the rain for the win, allowing two hits and four walks as three runs scored -- two earned. Liam Nash pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing one base runner, to pick up the save.
Game 2 round-robin
Next the Majors moved to 2-0 with a 8-0 win over the Bytown Dodgers as Robson allowed one hit in 4 1/3 scoreless. Morales escaped a bases-loaded jam with a 6-4-3 double play, turned sharply by Irving.
The Majors scored four times in the first on one hit -- a two-run double by Pieper which would have been out at Martin Dobkin -- and six walks. Luke Heinbuch, thanks to a single and three walks, and Daniel Lucas, with a fly ball and a bases loaded walk, each drove in a pair of runs.
Quinn Murray, Chad Samaroo and Marciello had the other hits.
Game 3 round robin
The Majors scored three in the bottom of the sixth to edge the Milton Mets 4-3. Down 3-1 with one out in the bottom of the sixth, Luke Heinbuch, Pieper and Lucas walked to loaded the bases.
Nolan Scicluna beat out an infield hit to make it 3-2 and then Marciello hit a game-winning two-run single. Scicluna finished 3-for-3, while Marciello had a pair of knocks.
The other hits went to Irving and Morales on a day fit for filming a movie compared to the earlier rain.
Nash left after five innings giving up one unearned runs on five hits and two walks with the scored deadlocked at 1-1. Lucas allowed two runs -- both unearned -- but wound up with the win when the Majors rallied.
Quarter final
Hours after beating Milton, the Majors took the field against the against North Toronto in a rematch. Pieper gave up a single to the lead-off hitter and that was that.
He also reached on an infield single to short, as pinch runner Marcus Smoljanovic was stealing third and scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth at the historic Shrine.
With two out in the seventh, he issued a walk on a 3-1 pitch. He walked three, struck out eight in his 103-pitch outing. On came Marciello to get the save on a 1-2 pitch on a a fly ball to right.
Lucas, Samaroo and Pieper had the only hits for the Majors.
RHP Yenna Robson pitched a five-inning, 36-pitch complete game.
Semi-final
Robson’s delivery was as repeatable and as much fun to watch as a Seinfeld re-run, throwing 36 pitches in a five-inning mercy win, throwing 27 for strikes (75%).
Robson allowed two hits and struck out one for the two-minute offence victory.
Scicluna and Irving led off the game with walks, and advanced. Jake Heinbuch hit a run-scoring single and brother Luke brought in a second run with a scoring fly ball.
After a lead-off walk in the third, Pieper singled and Samaroo walked to load the bases with one out. Lucas walked to force in a run, next came a Morales grounder which was booted leading to two more runs. After another walk, Scicluna singled home a run, another grounder was booted, another error on a ground ball allowed one more to score. Then, Luke Heinbuch was hit by a pitch to bring home a run and Pieper grounded out to knock in the final run of the inning.
The totals: eight runs -- four earned -- on two hits, four walks, three errors and a hit by pitch. On the game, the Majors had four hits by Scicluna, Jake Heinbuch, Pieper and Smoljanovic.
Final
Jake Heinbuch went the distance with the lone run scoring when his twin brother Luke make an error at shortstop. Jake also doubled with two out and scored on a single by his twin brother Luke.
The Majors added three in third when Murray led off with a single and Scicluna did the same, dropping a perfect bunt. After Irving bunted over the runners, Jake Heinbuch grounded out to knock home his pal Murray. Then, Luke Heinbuch singled home a run and after a hit by pitch and a Samaroo single, Luke scored too.
Samaroo and Luke Heinbuch had two hits each, while Scicluna, Jake Heinbuch and Murray had the other hits.