Hat juniors settle for third at nationals

By Ryan McCracken on August 6, 2018.

Medicine Hat News

Medicine Hat’s junior AAA All-Stars settled for a third-place finish at the Junior Little League Canadian Championship after falling one run shy of reaching the finals in Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the host Lethbridge Junior Bulls.

Medicine Hat bounced back from the narrow setback to take third place at the national tournament with an 8-3 win over Team Atlantic Sunday.

The All-Stars pitching staff did all they could to keep Lethbridge at bay, with starting pitcher Kevan Schafer taking a 1-1 game into the seventh, but the Bulls finally got the upper hand with three runs in the top of the frame.

Payton Eddy was charged with the loss, though all four of Lethbridge’s runs in the game were charged to Schafer.

Medicine Hat attempted to rally back into the contest in the seventh and managed to cut the deficit to one while juicing the bases with two out — but the rally was snuffed out on a popout to short.

Hayden Hall led Medicine Hat’s offence with 2 RBI and a triple, while Kayden Hleucka went 2-for-3 with 1 RBI and a double.

Despite the devastating loss, Medicine Hat rebounded the following morning to take a convincing 8-3 win over Team Atlantic for third.

Evan Morrison went the distance to collect the win after holding Atlantic to three runs on seven hits and two walks while logging three strikeouts through seven innings of work.

Morrison also led the team with 2 RBI in a 1-for-4 effort, while Levi Woitowich was 2-for-4 with 1 RBI and Zach Ferguson was 1-for-2 with 1 RBI.

Quebec went on to win the championship with a 14-3 victory over Lethbridge in Sunday’s final.