Picthers, catchers have bad day in Sask-PEI slugfest

August 5, 2007

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P.E.I., Sask. pitchers, catchers have bad day at the office
 
BY PAT HEALEY
MEDIA OFFICER
www.2007jrmensfastpitch.com

SUMMERSIDE - The pitchers and catchers for Saskatchewan Jr. Diamondbacks and P.E.I. Source for Sports Twins will not want to remember their opening games at the 2007 Causeway Bay Junior Men's fast pitch championship.

P.E.I., the visiting team in the game, started off strong against Sask. Pitcher Kyle Hrycuik with a four run, eight batter inning. However, their four run lead was short lived as wild pitching from P.E.I. starter Donnelly Archibald allowed that lead to slip away and resulted in a 5-4 deficit after the first.

Three balls got by catcher Devan Praught and escaped to the backstop, allowing three runners to plate at various time of the inning.
The Sask. catcher, Barry Sparvier, made three bad plays yhimself, all passed balls, that allowed two runs for P.E.I.

Kyle Rivett (3-4, two runs, two RBI) had one of three hits Saskatchewan had, a two-run single to make it 5-4. Dallas Morrison (2-4, run scored, two RBI) hit a solo home run in the fourth inning while Matt King (3-4) were also tops for the Diamondbacks.

Colin Dillon (2-4, two runs scored) gave P.E.I. a spark with a single, that turned out to be an inside the park home run thanks to a three-base error committed by the D’Backs Earl Ghostkeeper in left field.

Ryan Gallant (2-5, two runs scored), Jeremy McKinnon (2-3, RBI, walk, two runs scored) and Alex MacDonald (2-3, home run, two RBI, two runs scored) also were hot in the game.

Pierre Richard took the win going two innings allowing one hit and striking out two batters. Starter Donnelly Archibald went 2/3 innings, being pulled after giving up five runs - all unearned - on three hits, walking three and striking out three. John Veinnot went four and one-third allowing four runs on six hits walking one and striking out two in relief.

Hyrcuik allowed eight runs - five earned - on eight hits, walking four and striking out five. Jeremy Kenny came in for an inning of relief, getting roughed up for five runs on four hits - two earned - and fanning two. Brady Woods, who pitches in ISC play with Fargo, N.D. Kegel Knights, went an inning to finish off.


Gill's glove, bat lead NL over QUE in extra innings


SUMMERSIDE, PEI - Justin Gill's glove and bat allowed Kelly's Pub Canadian (Newfoundland and Labrador) to eke out a 1-0, eight inning victory over Quebec at the 2007 Causeway Bay Junior Men's fast pitch championships.

Gill hit a hard single that brought home Matt Hill from second to score the game’s only run.

Gill was also a star defensively as he sent a hard hit ball to first that got a Quebec runner in the fourth, while also handling a hot shot in the sixth to end a Quebec threat as they tried to get something going.

But the speedy shortstop didn’t take credit for the win.

"It was a helluva battle, they are a great team," Gill said following the game. "It was a good game by two teams that played their hearts out. We managed to scrabble through and get a run in the eighth.

"It was a team effort, I just had a few grounders yhit my way that I made plays on."

Quebec had their shot at scoring in the top half, but NL kept them at bay.

"That’s a big game win for us," Gill added.

Francis Leclair had his perfect game spoiled in the top of the fourth Steven Strapp’s single.

The Canadians had their chances to end the game prior to extra innings, but slugger Jason Hill couldn’t manage to plate Ryan Boland from third in the bottom of the sixth. Hill was just named an first team outfielder at the ASA Nationals in South Bend, IN., where he played with the Farm Tavern.

Sean Cleary went the distance for the win while LecLair went the distance for Quebec in suffering the loss.

(Pat Healey, Media Officer)