Major Mavs 2-0 to start Little League nationals

By JAMES TUBB on August 1, 2024.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat U12 Major Mavs are rolling at nationals.

The Mavs, representing Team Alberta, won their second game of the Little League nationals in Kingston, Ont., beating Team Quebec 9-3 Wednesday.

Head coach Steve Russell says the win came over a Quebec team that has trained together for months at a time compared to playing house and Little League like they have to in Medicine Hat. He was happy to see his team find success offensively over the club team.

“We expected a really big arm today, which we didn’t see,” Russell said. “They’ll still have that arm as a bullet in the barrel and the arms we did see, we were able to handle fairly well. The first inning doesn’t show it but after that, our guys were able to connect for nine runs, all earned.”

Both teams were held scoreless in the first two innings before Quebec scored first in the top of the third. Medicine Hat answered back with five runs in the bottom of the frame, and after Quebec scored twice in the fourth, the Mavs poured four more runs in the bottom of the fifth for the 9-3 final.

Raylan Johnson had three RBIs on two hits with two runs scored and Gavin Russell tallied a hit with an RBI and a run scored. Daxton Simpson also notched two runs scored on two hits with an RBI. Simpson also started the game on the mound, working 2.2 innings with three punch-outs. Madden Ellis worked an inning of relief, with three strikeouts. Archer Cunningham finished the game on the bump, recording one strikeout in 2.1 innings pitched.

Russell was encouraged by his team’s ability to put up the big inning and says it bodes well as they navigate the rest of the tournament.

“Looking into the future we’re going to be able to keep the bass rolling and something we get to show,” Russell said. “We have some formidable opponents ahead of us yet still but to have those two wins is big. Coming into the tournament, some of my coaching peers that have been here before said, ‘Keep your head up, you might start 0-2,’ and we’re 2-0.

“So it bodes well for us to be able to tactically look at various scenarios and then be able to do some good things so that later on we’re set up for a good situation.”

The Mavs face Team Atlantic today at noon before an off day Friday. Russell says the 2-0 start also gives them an opportunity to give some players more opportunity as they progress through the round robin.

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