Lethbridge Herald photo by Ian Martens - Team Alberta's Trevin Ressler tries to put the tag on Team BC's Matthew Cooper during the Canadian Junior Little League Championship Friday at Spitz Stadium in Lethbridge.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
The Medicine Hat AAA All-Stars punched their ticket to the Canadian Junior Little League Championship semifinals with a 7-5 victory over B.C. on Friday in Lethbridge – pushing the Alberta champions into a rematch with undefeated Quebec on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Needing a victory to stay alive at the tournament, Medicine Hat came out blazing – cashing four runs in the first before cruising to the crucial win.
“It was a must-win game and the boys came out strong,” said Hat head coach Dean Harrison. “They had a great first inning and Koby Eskestrand had a great day on the mound for us. That pushed us over today, it was really good.”
Eskestrand kept B.C. off balance all afternoon, holding the Western champs out of the run column until the fourth and limiting their efforts to two runs on three hits and three walks over the first six innings.
Caleb Garrecht took the hill for the seventh and allowed three runs on two hits, but managed to end B.C.’s tournament on a flyout to first baseman Cade Harrison.
Cade led the way at the dish with 2 runs in a 2-for-2 effort, while Eskestrand and Colbin Unreiner both had a hit and 1 RBI, Kevan Schafer was 1-for-3 with 1 RBI and Jeff Bullock went 2-for-3.
B.C. starter Kyle Bridger settled for the loss after allowing six runs on seven hits and six walks over the first 3 2/3 innings. Jacob Shorthouse closed out the final 2 1/3, allowing a run on three hits.
Marcus Padovano led B.C. at the plate with 2 RBI in a 1-for-3 performance.
Coach Harrison added the team’s three veteran players in Cade, Bullock and Schafer have brought a level of calmness and confidence to the team that has greatly benefited their efforts in clutch situations. The trio reached the semifinals at last year’s Canadian Junior Little League Championship before settling for bronze, making Saturday’s final-four rematch against Quebec a chance for redemption in more ways than one.
“It’s great to have some kids who were here before and have gone through it,” said Harrison. “Cade, my son, he’s been at the plate hitting the ball hard. He’s been probably our best hitter here for the week, which is good to see. With Jeffrey and Kevan, just having that maturity of one year, it adds a whole bunch when you get to this level and want to you try and lock down a game. They’re kind of the calming effect on the bench too, it’s nice.”
While Quebec enters Saturday’s semifinal as the undefeated top seed, Medicine Hat gave them the best run for their money in the round robin – only losing by a single run, 11-10, in Thursday’s seventh inning. While it was a tough pill to swallow at the time, Coach Harrison says the team is fired up for a chance to avenge their earlier loss and climb to within one win of the Junior Little League World Series.
“I think us playing well gives us confidence and it also proves to Quebec that they can’t take these guys for granted,” he said. “They’ve got to come out and play hard too or else they might be on the wrong end of it. It was twofold (Thursday) we gave ourselves confidence and I think we showed them that they’re going to be in for a fight.”
Saturday’s winner will advance to take on Atlantic or Ontario in Sunday’s 2 p.m. final. The champion will be named Team Canada for the Junior Little League World Series in Taylor, Mich., Aug. 11-18. Saturday’s losers will fall into the third-place game, slated for Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
