Oshawa scores heavenly win after taking Baseball Heaven tourney
OSHAWA LEGIONAIRES 18U ARE CHAMPIONS! WIN COLUMBUS DAY CLASSIC IN LONG ISLAND, NY
Long Island, NY - The Oshawa Legionaires 18U Elite team are the Baseball Heaven Columbus Day Wood Bat Classic 18U Champions following a perfect play-off Monday.
The long day included rain and remnants of Hurricane Nate blowing threw the complex as weather cleared enough for the semi-finals and final to be played. A semi-final extra inning 12-7 victory over the No. 2 seed BVSA Fury (Bobby Valentine Sports Academy) from Connecticut. While Ethan Duggan went 4-for-4 and drove in four to lead the Legionaires offense.
Then Oshawa scored a 4-1 victory in the championship final over the No. 1 seed B.A.S.E. ACADEMY from Boston. The final out was made by C Mitchell Haywood throwing out a would be base stealer. The winning pitcher in the final was Braden Babcock who tossed a complete game five-hit gem, walking one and striking out 11. It was his second complete, a weekend which saw him fan 27 in 14 innings.
Offensively. Lucas Gilbert (2-for-3), Babcock and Mitchell Haywood drove in a run each while Duggan drilled a ball off the left field wall for an stand up double and then later scored. Oshawa defensively good throughout the tourney.
Oshaawa coach Ken Babcock and Braden Babcock who pitched two complete games striking out 27 in 14 innings.
Game 4 - BVSA Fury 7, Oshawa Legionaires 18U 3.
Legionaires 18u watched the game slip away early and couldn’t recover in a loss on Sunday. The Fury benefitted from a four-run first inning and never looked back. The Legionaires would rally but it was too little too late. Hank Schwoerer earned the complete-game win for BVSA, allowing three hits and three runs over six innings, striking out eight and walking just one.
Ethan Duggan took the loss as he lasted 2 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and seven runs while walking seven and striking out three. Ty Cymbalista, Lucas Gilbert and Mitchell Haywood each collected one hit to the lead Legionaires 18u. Oshawa didn’t commit a single error in the field. It was their first loss of the tourney so with a 3-1 record the Legionaires finished tied for second place overall in the 18U division and advanced to the semi-finals.
Game 3 Summary - Oshawa Legionaires 18u 4, Long Island Strong, 4-2
The Legionaires beat the Long Island Strong, the No. 2 ranked team in the Long Island Elite League on Sunday.
Lucas Gilbert pitched a complete game gem for the Legionaires working six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out eight. Miguel Hernandez took the loss for Long Island. He allowed four hits and four runs over three innings, striking out three. In the first inning,
The Legionaires 18u got their offense started when Babcock singled on a 2-2 count, scoring one run. Conner Allen then drove in what would become the game-winning runs with a line drive single to left to cap a three- run opening inning against the Strong ace.
Easton Baker, Ty Cymbalista, Allen, Babcock and Gilbert each collected one hit to lead Oshawa.
The Legionaires didn’t commit a single error as C Mitchell Haywood threw out a base runner in the fifth inning to kill a Long Island rally.
Meanwhile the Legionaires tore up the base paths, swiping five stolen bases with Cymbalista and Baker each stealing twice and Keiven Frost one.
The Legionaires moved to 3-0 clinching a spot in the play-off round.
Game 2 Summary - Oshawa Legionaires 18u 5, Long Island Patriots 0
Braden Babcock struck out 16 against the top ranked Long Island Patriots, throwing a complete game three-hit shutout. He struck out 16 and walked one. Delaney took the loss for Long Island and was 84-85 MPH on the radar gun. He went five innings, allowing five runs on six hits and striking out five as the Legionaires hitters caught up to the big time fastball.
Babcock went 2-for-2 at the plate with two doubles and an RBI while 2B Easton Baker drilled a two-run double down the line to put the game away. Ty Cymbalista lined an RBI single to left to get the Legionaires on the board. Speed was also a factor for Oshawa while leading 1-0 Lucas Gilbert laid down a perfect sac bunt that forced the Patriots to hurry and then threw high and wild to first base and down the line. That play led to two Legionaires runs.
Again Oshawa did not commit an error as C Jakob Malloch returned from injury.
Blue Jays GM Mark Shapiro was at the complex. His son was playing for the Toronto Mets in the 16U Division.
Game 1 Summary - Oshawa Legionaires 18u 3, Motus Academy 18U 0
Conner Allen had all the right stuff on Saturday for Legionaires 18u, allowing zero runs to blank Motus. Allen struck out five and allowed two hits.
The Legionaires offense was led by left fielder Matt Walker who drilled a solo homer to right field over the wall to put Oshawa up 1-0. Then in the fifth 1B Braden Babcock hit a long two-run double to centre to make it a 3-0 game. C Mitchell Haywood also had two hits in three at bats.