The St. Albert Cardinals got off to a flying start on the opening day of the U15 Baseball Canada championship at Summerside, P.E.I.
The Baseball Alberta bantam AAA Tier I champions edged Newfoundland 3-2 and out-scored Nova Scotia 9-6 Thursday.
Friday’s results against Manitoba (1-2) and Saskatchewan (1-2) were unavailable at press time.
The last pool B game for the Cardinals before the playoffs is against the host team from Summerside (1-2) this morning.
The top pool A and B teams qualify for Sunday’s head-to-head semifinal tilt and the second-place pool B team plays the third-place pool A team in tonight’s playoff for a semifinal spot against the second-place pool A team Sunday.
The medal finals are also scheduled for Sunday.
Visit www.baseball.ca or the Cardinals’ team page at www.stalbertbaseball.com for updates or follow the action via Twitter at @sambabantamAAA.
The tournament opener was decided in the bottom of the seventh, as the Cardinals pushed two runs across against Newfoundland.
With one out, the Cardinals loaded the bases with walks to pinch-hitter Jackson Moffat, Evan Bourassa and Mike Brisson.
The next batter, pickup Melvin Lorenzo of Okotoks Dawgs Black, drew a walk to score pinch-runner Kade Knight.
Ryan Marples, the cleanup hitter, brought Bourassa home from third with a sacrifice fly to left field for the walk-off victory.
The Cardinals opened the scoring on Liam Froment’s two-out RBI single to score Brisson.
Marples had the only other hit for the Cardinals as they racked up eight walks, including three by Lorenzo.
Brisson also swiped two of the team’s five stolen bases.
Newfoundland posted runs in the fourth and six innings while collecting four hits overall but committed three errors.
Ryan Poniewozik drew the start for the Cardinals and gave up one run on three hits, while walking three and striking-out four over four innings.
Brady Kobitowich pitched 1-1/3 innings and was tagged for one run on one hit. He walked four and fanned one.
Nathan McClinton worked the last 1-2/3 innings without giving up a hit for the win. He issued one walk and struck-out two.
The next game, the Cardinals put up a seven spot in the bottom of the third on two hits and one Nova Scotia error to lead 8-4.
It was 9-3 when Nova Scotia scored three times in the top of the seventh before the Cardinals sealed the deal.
Froment swung a big bat while going 4-for-4 with three singles, one double and three RBIs. Marples also drove in two runs and Bourassa chipped in with one RBI.
Tyson Kowaluk stole two bases, Brisson was hit twice by pitches and Lorenzo drew three walks.
Logan McKinley twirled four innings and surrendered three runs (two earned) on three hits. He walked five and fanned six for the win.
James Diduch, Josh Ironside and Lorenzo also took turns on the mound as the Cardinals stranded 11 runners for the second game in a row.
Hits were five apiece and the Cardinals were charged with three errors and Nova Scotia committed one.
The first St. Alberta Minor Baseball Association bantam AAA team at nationals since 2007 knocked off the defining provincial champions from Okotoks 8-6 in the Aug. 1 final in Spruce Grove by scoring four runs in the top of the seventh to lead by two and in the bottom of the inning rolled a double play with the bases loaded to end the game.
The Cardinals were seeded first at provincials and the team’s unofficial record going into nationals was 29-9.
Several players competed at the U13 nationals with the fourth-place peewee AA Cardinals.
