It was an all-Edmonton final Sunday at the first annual Rainmaker Invitational Tournament, sanctioned by the North Central Alberta Baseball League.
It was an all-Edmonton final Sunday at the first annual Rainmaker Invitational Tournament, sanctioned by the North Central Alberta Baseball League.
The Athletics defeated the Indians 5-3 to pocket $500 overall while going 3-1-1 in the six-team competition at Legion Memorial Park. The Indians collected $450 overall at 3-1. Total prize money was $1,400.
Prior to the tournament the Athletics were 1-3 and the Indians were 1-2 in the NCABL standings.
The host St. Albert Junior Cardinals finished 2-2 overall for $200 in total winnings.
Both losses were against the Indians – 6-5 in pool A Saturday and 4-1 in Sunday's semifinal.
In the first game clutch hitting generated three runs in the top of the seventh to tie it at five but in the bottom of the inning the Indians scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly ball.
The semifinal tilt was a fairly tight defensive affair. Ben Runyon and Brock Denault were both strong on the mound for the Cardinals.
In the tournament opener Friday the Cardinals rallied from a three-run deficit in the seventh for a 7-6 walk-off win against the Stony Plain Mets. The key hit was a bases-loaded double by Matt Woodland. The Mets, the top NCABL team at 4-0, lost all three games in the tournament.
In Sunday's playoff against the Camrose Axemen from pool B, Jaret Klim batted 4-for-4 in the 13-3 victory. The Axemen went home with only $50 while going 0-2-1.
Meanwhile in the NCABL the Cardinals (0-3) were scheduled to play the Edmonton Warriors (1-2) Tuesday in St. Albert but the score was unavailable at press time.
Next week the Cardinals are up to bat Tuesday against the Axemen (3-1) in Camrose at 7:15 p.m.
This is the Cardinals' second season in the senior AA NCABL circuit.
The St. Albert Cardinals are flying high at 9-0 in the Norwest Midget AAA Baseball League after outscoring the host Fort McMurray Oil Giants 33-6 in three games last weekend.
The series opener was a 20-4 rout in five innings as the Cardinals outhit the home team 15-5.
In the third inning the Cardinals scored 13 runs on seven hits and two Giants' errors and left three men on base.
Mat Brisson batted 4-for-4 while driving home four runs. He walked once and scored four runs.
In the 8-0 shutout Dylan Gates fired 11 strikeouts during a two-hitter over 5-2/3 innings.
Jake Fischer cracked a solo home run while going 2-for-2 with two RBIs.
Gates and Tanner Karpinski had two hits apiece in the 5-2 win to wrap up the weekend. Three pitchers combined on a two-hitter against the Giants (2-5).
Tuesday the Cardinals host the Spruce Grove White Sox (3-3) at 7 p.m. at Legion Memorial Park.
The St. Albert Cardinals swept the Calgary Cubs in the provincial round of the bantam AAA schedule last weekend in Cow Town.
In the 9-4 win Tylor Jans allowed two earned runs over 6-1/2 innings and struck-out three.
Greg Student belted a home run and drove in three runs. Dan Gerlach also stroked two hits.
The 15-6 victory was highlighted by two-RBI performances by four first-year bantams: Davis Pratt, Zach Froment, Joseph Karall and Colton Girard. Pratt and Girard also banged out triples.
Cole Seitz tossed five innings and was tagged for three earned runs. Gerlach was solid in relief, giving up only two hits in two scoreless innings.
In game three the Cardinals mercied the Cubs 14-0 in five innings as Student threw a complete game one-hitter while fanning four.
Jans batted 4-for-4, with two singles, two doubles and three RBIs. Seitz and Isaiah Gionet chipped in with two hits apiece.
The last game of the weekend was a developmental contest rescheduled from the end of April. Joseph Karall and Girard combined on a one-hit 14-0 shutout while striking out eight. Peter Corrigan went 3-for-4 with three RBIs.
Tonight the Cardinals play SEEBA at 6:30 p.m. at Goldstick Park.
This weekend at Legion Memorial Park the Cardinals host Okotoks Dawgs Black at 1 and 4 p.m. Saturday and Okotoks Dawgs Red at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday.
