American Legion roundup: Knights win local Canada Day Classic
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on July 6, 2023.
sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews The Medicine Hat U18 Knights won their home tournament this weekend in perfect fashion. The Knights swept their slate of four games over the weekend to claim the Canada Day Classic held at Jeffries park. They opened the weekend with a 7-0 win over the Strathmore Reds. Ward Davies had three RBIs on one hit with a run scored in the win, and Nixon Kunkel picked up the complete-game win on the mound, striking out five in his seven innings pitched. The Knights started play Saturday by beating the Moose Jaw Canucks 14-3. Lance Macpherson had four hits, knocking in one RBI while scoring three times. Mace Carriere registered three RBIs and two runs scored on two hits. JJ Harnett started the game for Medicine Hat and recorded five strikeouts in his four innings pitched. Macpherson pitched the remaining inning, registering a strikeout. They carried that momentum into their second game Saturday, beating the Calgary Premier Blues 22-6. Macpherson plated four RBIs on two hits with two runs scored and Pryce Velichko, Carriere, Cole Carlson and Kunkel each registered two RBIs. Wryder Welte started the game for the Knights and pitched all five innings with three strikeouts. The Knights wrapped up the championship weekend with a rematch against the Canucks, winning 7-6 in walkoff fashion for the classic title. Davies drove in the winning run on an RBI double in the seventh inning, one of his two RBIs and four hits of the afternoon. Velichko started the game for the Knights and worked two innings with two strikeouts. Carlson took over and registered a strikeout in his three innings of work before Dylan Pidlisny took over for four strikeouts in two innings of work. The Knights were in action Tuesday night against the Fort Macleod Royals and won both games, with 12-5 and 15-6 victories. Krauss led the Knights offence in the 12-5 win, picking up three RBIs on two hits with a run scored. Moch and Harnett each added two RBIs. Carlson started the game for Medicine Hat and struck out four in his six innings of work. Kunkel took the mound of the seventh and registered a strikeout. The Knights offence in their 15-6 victory over Fort Macleod was led by Velichko, who notched two RBIs on two hits with three runs scored. He also started the game on the mound and recorded two strikeouts in two innings before Harnett took over for the win, registering seven strikeouts in five innings pitched. The Knights (21-23) are on the road this weekend. Monarchs The Medicine Hat Moose Monarchs picked up two wins over the weekend. The Monarchs started their five-game weekend with two losses Friday. They fell 8-0 against the Glacier Twins before losing 8-2 against the Sherwood Park Dukes. Cade Harrison started the Monarchs’ loss against the Twins, recording seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched. Cade Moch worked 0.2 innings with a strikeout before Parker Hunter worked the final 0.2 innings of the game with a strikeout. Trevin Ressler led Medicine Hat’s offence in their 8-2 loss against the Dukes, notching an RBI on two hits with two walks. Evan Morrison started the game and pitched three innings with five strikeouts. Ressler took over and worked two innings with two strikeouts and Ryler Straarup pitched the final inning. The Monarchs got in the win column Saturday, beating the Spokane North Stars 8-0. Kayne Olinksi led the offence with two RBIs on one hit with a walk. Straarup picked up the win on the mound with four strikeouts in four innings pitched. Hunt worked the final frame with a strikeout. Medicine Hat carried the winning ways into Saturday afternoon, beating the Glacier Twins 7-2. Ressler plated an RBI on three hits with a run scored, and Straarup notched two RBIs. Kyle Woolridge pitched a complete game for the Monarchs’ win. They wrapped up the weekend with a 9-6 loss against Post Falls. Ressler had two RBIs on three hits with a run scored and Morrison added two RBIs on two hits with a run scored as well. Moch stared the game and struck out one batter in his 3.1 innings of work. Hunt worked an inning and Fischer Haysom finished the game with four strikeouts in 1.1 innings pitched. The Monarchs dropped both of their games Tuesday against the Helena Senators, falling 8-0 and 9-8. Morrison had three hits in the shutout loss and started the game for Medicine Hat, recording three strikeouts in 3.2 innings. Straarup worked the remaining 2.1 innings with two strikeouts. Woolridge had three RBIs, two hits and two runs scored in the Monarchs’ second loss Tuesday. Ressler started the game and had five strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched, Straarup and Bullock both pitched out of the bullpen. The Monarchs (15-17) also played Wednesday morning, falling 10-0 against the Senators. Woolridge had two hits and Harrison started the game, recording four strikeouts in three innings. Olinski and Haysom pitched out of the bullpen. 23-22
