Junior Men's Saturday

August 11, 2007

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EAST HANTS IS DONE HERE...QUEBEC MOVES ON..and look impressive in that first game, LeClair did anyways.
 
 
LeClair mows down 14 as Quebec moves on; East Hants eliminated
 
BY PAT HEALEY
MEDIA OFFICER
SUMMERSIDE - Quebec pitcher Francis LeClair had the East Hants Henchmen batters mesmerized Saturday morning in the first placement game, mowing down
The game featured just three hits between the two teams and a total of 23 strikeouts- 14 by LeClair and saw the game’s only run score as a result of a Mathieu Benoit RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning.
"We’re hoping to do the same as last year," LeClair said, noting Quebec won three times in 2006 on Saturday to make it to Sunday action. "It’s a hard way to do it, but it’s the only way for us to get there."
East Hants did have their chances, stranding seven bases runners - including leaving the bases juiced in top of the fourth- compared to Quebec, who had just three runners left on base.
David LeClair had the other Quebec hit.
Aaron Harvey had the Henchmen’s lone hit.
Cory Avery went the distance in suffering the loss in the pitcher’s duel, walking two and striking out nine.
Quebec will now face Elmira Advance Millwright at 1 pm in the playoff round.. Both teams need to win to continue playing on.




 
BANNON POWERS SIMCOE OVER P.E.I.
BY PAT HEALEY
MEDIA OFFICER
SUMMERSIDE - Derek Bannon and Kevin Buckley each had two run home runs as the Simcoe Wildcats stayed alive with a 10-0 six inning mercy rule win over the host P.E.I. Source for Sports Twins Saturday morning.
Bannon also added a solo home run and finished the game with four RBI. Will Fehrman (2-3, two runs scored), Tyler MacNevan (0-1, RBI, run scored) and Jeff Bassindale (3-4, run scored) also contributed.
Ryan Gallant (2-4) was the lone multiple hit player for P.E.I. Devon Praught and Colin Dillon each added singles.
Luke Raymer earned the win going six innings striking out nine and walking one. John Veinnot suffered the loss allowing four and one third inning, surrendering four runs, seven hits while sitting down four. Pierre Richard pitched two third innings allowing two runs (on Bannon’s two run home run). Donnelly Archibald went an inning allowing four runs on no hits, three earned, walking four.
Simcoe will now face Saskatchewan Junior Diamondbacks at 3 p.m.




TWO RUN FOURTH, FIFTH'S LEAD ELMIRA OVER QUEBEC
SUMMERSIDE - Elmira Advance Millwrights scored twice in the fourth and fgifth as they eliminated Quebec’s St-Leonard D’aston Express Saturday afternoon at the 2007 Causeway Bay Softball Canada Junior Men’s Fast Pitch championships here in Summerside.
Josh Brohman (2-3, RBI double, two runs scored) Dan Martin (1-3, RBI), Ben Tee (1-2, RBI) and Travis Martin (1-3, run scored, RBI). Jack McLaren and Ron Dean each had doubles and would eventually score. Ryan Shannon and Nate Bauman also contributed with a single each.
Jean Daniel Doucet had the hot bat for Quebec, going 3-for-4 with a run scored at the dish.
Dan Martin pitched the complete game allowing six hits, walking two and striking out four.
Quebec pitcher Francis LeClair was strong again on the slab, striking out eight batters but didn’t get much help in their second game of the day. He fanned eight batters.
Elmira advances to the 7:30 p.m. game now.



Two, two-run home runs keep Simcoe alive
BY PAT HEALEY
MEDIA OFFICER
SUMMERSIDE - Will Fehrman and Andrew Narancsik each had two, two-run home runs as the Simcoe Wildcats earned a berth as the final team remaining in play at the 2007 Causeway Bay Softball Canada Junior Men’s Fast Pitch championship.
The Wildcats used just five hits to punch out six runs in a 6-2 win over the Saskatchewan Junior Diamondbacks.
Nathan Fuller (1-1, run scored), Jamie Davis (1-2, double run scored) also powered the Simcoe offense.
Axel Guskjolen (2-4, triple, run scored, RBI), Earl Ghostkeeper (2-3) and BL Sparvier (1-3) had the Saskatchewan team’s offense.
Luke Raymer pitched a complete game, fanning 12 batters. Kyle Hyrcuik suffered the loss going four innings, giving up three runs on three hits, walking two and fanning five. Brady Woods pitched two innings in relief, allowing three runs on two hits striking out one.


Kelly’s Pub Canadians into Junior men’s final
 
BY PAT HEALEY
MEDIA OFFICER
SUMMERSIDE - It took a full team effort, but the Newfoundland and Labrador Kelly’s Pub Canadians pulled it out advancing to the 2007 Causeway Bay Softball Canada Junior Men’s fast pitch championship final with a 6-4 extra inning win over the Scarborough Wolverines.
And it was thanks to energizer bunny, Justin Gill who just seems to keep going and going and leading by example. He appeared to roll his ankle in the game Saturday night, but put the pain he might be feeling aside and stayed in the game leading by example.
Gill hit a sixth inning solo home run that rallied the defending champions to the victory.
Trailing 3-1 and looking as if they may be on the verge of their first loss, Gill bombed a solo home run in the sixth inning. However, catcher Stephen Strapp said it was a full team effort, something his teammates agreed with..
"It was a full team effort that have us rolling into Sunday," Strapp said. "Everyone from 1-to-16 contributed to this win."
It came down to the eighth inning to determine a winner between these two evenly matched teams.
With Strapp on second as a result of the International tie breaking rule, Mark Lewis batted hitting a hard single that scored Strapp. Then Ryan Boland (1-4) came to bat with pinch runner Matt Hill on first and Mark Lewis on second..
The all star second basemen then hit a first pitch triple, scoring Hill and Lewis and giving the Canadians a 6-4 lead
"It was a great game to be involved in," Boland said. "We were down and whatever the case was we never quit. Justin’s (Gill) home run picked us up and gave us life back."
As for what they will do Sunday in the final looking to repeat as champions, Boland said the team will just take it pitch-by-pitch.
"We’ll see what happens but it’ll be a tough game for sure," he added.
Lewis once again had the hot bat, driving in three runs with a 3-for-4 batting summary. Gill (2-4, two runs scored, RBI), Brad Ezekiel (1-3, run scored), Jon Kane (2-3) were also tops.
Scarborough was led by Brandon Horn (1-3, run scored, RBI triple), Chris Lewis (1-3, run scored) and Rob Clayton (1-3, run scored).
Sean Cleary went the distance, striking out four, giving up four runs on five hits and walking one. Matt Leahy came on in relief, pitching two and two third innings giving up three runs on three hits and sitting down two. Andrew Putnam went five and one third inning allowing three runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out three.
The Canadians will now await the winner of the Scarborough-Elmira/Simcoe semifinal, Sunday morning at 11 a.m. The championship is set for 1:30 p.m.