PHOTO COURTESY MATT HARRIS
Medicine Hat U13 Mavs catcher Jack Harris loads up to make a throw from behind the plate in the Mavs' 11-5 win Friday over Team Ontario at the Little League National Championship held in Kingston, Ont.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat U13 Mavs faced their toughest test yet at the Little League Nationals, coming away with the win.
They jumped ahead of Team Ontario early in Friday’s game, scoring 10 runs in the first two innings, looking primed for a third straight five-inning mercy win. The Ottawa West team scored five runs in three innings and the Mavs held on for an 11-5 win.
Assistant coach Trevor Bishop says the quick start had them looking for the shortened game before Team Ontario capitalized on them taking a step back. He credits the Mavs for holding on for the win.
“You get up early and things seem to be really good and then it only takes one thing to happen and a momentum change happens,” Bishop said. “You could feel it a little bit in the game but the boys fought through it and came out with the win and that’s always what we’re after in the end.
“It was not the prettiest but all in all, defensively, we did what we had to do. The balls on the ground, they were scooped up and plays were made, and pitching was pretty good.”
Burke Morrison had three hits with three RBIs, Diesel Bishop had two hits and two RBIs in the win and Beckam Sprunger added a pair of RBIs with two hits. Daxton Simpson had two RBIs and a hit.
Despite the six-run lead heading into the seventh inning, Bishop says they held their own and played to their game as Team Ontario tried for a comeback.
“When it was 10-0 that was when that gap started to close and it felt like we were in a real tight one,” Bishop said. “At any point in time, a mistake here, a hit there, and they’re back on you type thing. Credit to the boys, not the prettiest of wins in our minds, but it’s a win nonetheless.”
Diesel Bishop started the game on the mound, working three innings allowing just one run with three strikeouts. Blake Harrison worked three innings, allowing four runs with three punch outs and Sprunger worked a clean seventh inning to secure the win.
Bishop says they knew Ontario could hit the fastball and lined up their pitchers to counter-act that strength.
“It’s a learning thing for us, we very well could face off against them again in the semis, so we’ve seen them now and we know what to expect the second time around if we do face them,” Bishop said.
The Mavs (3-0) wrap up the round robin at the Intermediate Championships this weekend, facing the undefeated Team B.C. (3-0) on Saturday before taking on the host Kingston Colts (1-2).
Bishop says they look at Saturday’s matchup as the opportunity to put themselves into first place heading into semis and he says they’ll just look to control what they can from there.
“We’re hoping that we’re (B.C.’s) first big challenge and we’ll go out there with what we this is the right lineup and se if we can’t pull it off,” Bishop said.
“We’d rather go into the semis, if we can, facing the fourth place team than be in a two vs. three matchup.”
Monday is an off day, held for rainouts before the semis begin on Tuesday with the finals on Wednesday and a spot at the Little League Intermediate championship held in Livermore, Calif. on the line.
