The St. Albert Cardinals rallied in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat Team Ontario at the Baseball Canada U18 midget AAA championship Thursday at Magog, Que.
Jake Fischer’s two-out double with the bases loaded scored Austin Watamaniuk and pinch-runner Anthony Owen as the Cardinals rallied from a three-run deficit to win 5-4.
The Cardinals scored four runs on three hits after the Ontario reps from London capitalized on three errors while pushing three runs across without a hit in the top of the eighth. The Alberta champions were charged seven errors overall.
It was 1-1 going into the eighth as Cardinals’ start Jackson Wark struck-out five and walked one while tossing a five-hitter over seven innings. Taran Oulton pitched the eighth and one of the three Ontario runs in the inning were earned.
In the eighth Matty Quartel and Logan Harvey scored to make it a one-run deficit. Connor Burns finished the win with two RBIs and Mat Brisson drove in one run. Both teams left eight men on base.
Friday morning Kurt Meeberg, a pickup from SEEBA, started on the mound against Team Quebec 1 but the score was unavailable at press time. The Cardinals also played Team Quebec 2 later in the day.
The last pool A game before the crossover playoffs is against Saskatchewan today.
The medal finals are Sunday. Visit www.old.baseball.ca/18u/ for the schedule and results. The Cardinals were 43-14 entering their first nationals since 2008.
The season is over for the St. Albert Senior Cardinals after losing to the Westlock Red Lions for the third consecutive season in the Alberta West Central Baseball Association playoffs.
Wednesday at Legion Memorial Park the Cardinals coughed up a 5-4 lead after four innings and lost 10-5 in the deciding game of the best-of-three A-side semifinal.
Joel Tauber was the Cardinals’ player of the game with one hit, a stolen base and one run scored.
In the series opener last week the Cardinals fell 3-2 in Westlock despite squandering several opportunities to tie the score.
Monday the Cardinals rebounded to win 8-5 in St. Albert. John Spaans worked four solid innings while allowing one run for the decision. Tauber batted 3-for-3 with a double and scored three runs. In league play the Cardinals placed second at 11-5-1 and Westlock was third at 10-5.
Next week the A and B finals will be played in St. Albert. The dates for the A-side playoff between the Fort Saskatchewan A’s (12-2-1) and Westlock are Tuesday, Thursday and, if needed, Aug. 26.
The B-side playoff games between the Edmonton Blues (7-9) and Edmonton Heat (6-11) are Monday, Wednesday and, if needed, Aug. 25. Start times are 6:45 p.m.
