JV Hawks win baseball provincials against Colts

By JAMES TUBB on May 31, 2022.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The junior varsity Hat High Hawks baseball team had to overcome the odds to win their provincial title Saturday.

The Hawks and McCoy Colts JV teams both made it to the semifinals in their provincial finals this weekend in Milk River.

The Hawks trailed the Notre Dame Hounds 7-0 before they came back and won 9-7 to earn a trip to the finals against McCoy.

In the Colts semifinal, McCoy defeated the Erle Rivers Comets 16-3. Matt Getz earned the complete game victory on the mound striking, out seven batters. Offensively McCoy was led by Carter Kurpjuweit who was 3-for-3 with with two runs scored.

The Hawks again had to overcome a big deficit with the Colts up 7-0 after the second inning. Hat High was able to claw its way back to a 13-7 championship victory on the back of Parker Hunt, who earned the victory on the mound pitching six shutout innings while striking out eight batters.

Hawks head coach Lyall Foran said the comebacks were gratifying to watch.

“No matter what the situation was or what the circumstances were, they played with that confidence and knew that they could get the job done and just kept battling,” Foran said. “Having that opportunity to go against the crosstown rival makes it even better.”

Landon MacPhearson was 4-for-4 with three doubles and four RBI for MHHS. Pryce Velichko and Ryler Straarup had three hits apiece in the final for McCoy.

Foran said he was proud of how his players stepped up and showed resiliency in the big moments.

“It’s awesome to just see them rise to the occasion and I know how proud of themselves they were, definitely all smiles after the championship,” Foran said. “It gives them that confidence moving forward as they’re looking to become full-time senior players for us, to know that no matter what situation they get into, they can have confidence to lean back on and know that they can get the job done.”

The varsity Hawks and Colts will battle for the Alberta premier baseball league provincial title Wednesday at Athletic Park. That game gets underway at 5:30 p.m.

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