Doucette drives in four runs in Fawcetts victory

August 29, 2014

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ORIGINAL STORY by Jason Malloy - The Guardian

 

Doucette drives in four runs in Fawcetts victory

Tyler Doucette had the game of his career Thursday in propelling the Charlottetown John Brown Grille Fawcetts to an 8-6 victory over the East Hants Mastodons.

The win improved the Fawcetts to 3-2 while the Nova Scotia squad dropped to 2-3 at the Canadian senior men’s fast pitch championship. Both play a late game on Thursday.

Doucette hit a three-run home run to centre field in the bottom of the second to give his team a 4-2 lead.

“It was a great feeling,” said the 23-year-old outfielder from Kensington, who is not known for his power. “I may have looked calm running around the bases, but I was blowing up inside.”

The game took four hours and 21 minutes to complete following a two-hour rain delay in the sixth inning with the Mastodons rallying.

East Hants scored twice before the game was stopped with the tying run at second base and one out.

When action resumed, Andy Skelton got Myles Coldwell to fly out, walked Ben Wideman before Joel Langford flew out to end the inning.

“Andy did a real good job pitching to get us out of that inning,” said shortstop Brandon Horn.

Doucette, the ninth hitter in the Fawcetts lineup, added an RBI single in the sixth off when he drove Chris Craig in with a ground ball over third. He finished the game 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a run scored.

Horn, Jeff Ellsworth and Mark Johnson all had two hits while Mark Arsenault, Craig and Jamie Betts each had one.

Jason Sanford, Jay Duffy and Tyler Whynot each had two hits for East Hants while Donnelly Archibald, Aaron Harvey and pinch-hitter Matt Anthony each added one.

Skelton allowed two runs on three hits in three innings of relief for the victory. He struck out two and walked one. Starter Don Scott gave up four runs on six hits in four innings while striking out five and walking two.

Scott Wagar took the loss after allowing seven runs on nine hits and striking out two in five innings. Justin Schofield allowed a run on two hits in an inning of work.

The game was a back-and-forth affair between the Maritime rivals.

After the Fawcetts took the 4-2 lead, the Mastodons tied it in the third inning. Langford and Joel Isenor each walked and Sanford and Whynot followed with one-out singles.

Horn hit an inside riseball out for a two-run home run in the fourth. The Fawcetts added another run in the fifth after Ellsworth had a bunt single, but ended up at third when Wager’s throw ended up in right field.

“It was just a rollercoaster ride the whole way through,” Doucette said.

The right-fielder also made a sliding catch on a Harvey foul ball in the fourth inning. Both Doucette and second baseman Betts were in full pursuit. Doucette said he didn’t call the ball until the last minute because he wasn’t sure he was going to get to the ball before it hit the ground.

“It was a tough play and I was just thankful I found the ball in my glove when I got up.”

Horn said it was a big win as it tried to create some separation in the standings with a logjam of teams at 2-2 heading into Thursday’s play. He said Doucette’s performance was a confidence booster for the team.

“To know that we have hitters in our lineup one through nine that can do some damage and help us win,” he said.

East Hants is currently playing Saskatoon while the Fawcetts will play Kelly's Pub from St. John's, N.L., later tonight.

Playoffs are to begin on Friday.