Windsor Selects 14U beat Kentucky's Mid America to take Xavier tourney
And that’s a winner …. the Windsor Selects 14U captured the Xavier University Freedom Classic in Cincinnati, beating the Mid America Prospects of Kentucky 5-0 in the title game
July 5, 2023
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
The Windsor Selects have been venturing across the Ambassador bridge or through the Windsor tunnel for years.
This time when they returned to customs -- either the bridge or the tunnel -- they had a unique answer when Canadian border agency asked:
“Anything to declare?”
One and all were able to answer:
“Yes sir ... a championship.”
The Windsor Selects 14U won the Xavier University Freedom Classic in Cincinnati, Ohio. It has been some time since a team from the Selects organization won a tournament in the United States -- outside of the state of Michigan. Maybe going back to the days of Baseball Ontario Hall of Fame coach Marc Picard.
Windsor defeated Mid America Prospects of Kentucky 5-0 in the championship game as CJ Brocoy (Lasalle, Ont.) pitched a complete game. He had all his pitches working as he needed only 76 pitches allowing only two hits and three walks.
Windsor scored three in the second inning and added single runs in the third and fifth. Jordan Maine (Riverside, Ont.) and Alex Schneider (Riverside, Ont.) led the way with two hits each. Cayden Brown (Riverside, Ont.) had the game-winning hit with a based loaded single in the third inning.
Former Canadian National team player Jody Brown managed the team with the help of coaches Steve Carter, a former Junior National team pitcher and coach Jerry Soulliere, son of Windsor’s Mr. Baseball, Bernie Soulliere.
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In the Xavier opener, Windsor defeated the London Badgers 6-2. Nolan Carter (Riverside, Ont.) was the winner going four innings, allowing two runs -- one earned -- on four hits, and one walk while he had one strikeout. Nolan Mass (Lasalle, Ont.) closed out the game on the mound with three scoreless innings. Brown led the way offensively with two hits and two RBIs.
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Next, the Selects moved to 1-1 with a 3-1 loss to Mid America Prospects. Simon Rocheleau (Riverside, Ont.) suffered the loss giving up two runs -- one earned -- on three hits and one walk in four innings. He stuck out one. Windsor was limited to one single each by Zach Sulik (Windsor, Ont.) and Schneider, while Declan Cole (Lasalle, Ont.) walked twice.
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In Game 3 of pool play Windsor scored seven times in the first on the way to an 8-2 win against Y’alls Elite. The game lasted only three innings due to weather. Rocheleau struck the big blow in the first with a bases-loaded, bases-clearing triple. Rocheleau finished with two hits and four RBIs. Starter pitcher Logan Baldwin (Windsor, Ont.) was credited with the win, he did not yield a hit over 2 1/3 innings. He struck out four, but walked six. Hudson Frey (Windsor, Ont.) finished up fanning the only two batters he faced.
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Windsor Selects edged Y’alls Elite 3-2 in the semi-final. Schneider threw an 85-pitch complete game, yielding six hits, walking two and striking out one. Windsor trailed 2-1 going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Things quickly turned as Sulik’s triple scored Mass to tie the game. Sulik scored on a single by Adrian Hong (Lasalle, Ont.). Brocoy had a single and a double. Catcher Jake Beaudoin (Lasalle, Ont.) made like Joe Siddall throwing out two runners at second base, including the potential tying run in the seventh.