Glace Bay wins opener
Colonels one step closer to advancing to national championship
The Glace Bay McDonald’s Colonels took advantage of home field as they won the opening game of the Atlantic Region Major Little League Championship on Friday.
With about 200 supporters gathered at the Cameron Bowl, the Colonels wasted no time in grabbing an early lead against New Brunswick’s Lancaster All Stars on a perfect night for baseball in Glace Bay.
The Colonels, who defeated both the Sydney Mines Ramblers and the Sydney Sooners to take the Nova Scotia title last week, got some terrific pitching to keep the visitors’ bats in check as they cruised to a 7-2 win in the first game of the best-of-three series.
“We got a heck of an effort from Parker Hanrahan – he pitched a great game,” said Colonels coach Henry Boutilier, who pulled his starting pitcher with one out in the sixth inning due to his high pitch count.
“He was going great, throwing strikes and taking it to the batters and they’re a good team.”
Hanrahan allowed just two hits and struck out nine before being relieved by Gavin MacQueen.
By then the Colonels were leading 7-0 and while the New Brunswick representatives rallied for a couple of late runs it was a case of too little, too late, and the local players walked off the victory.
The Glace Bay attack was led by Tye Clarke, who had with a pair of doubles, and Hanrahan, who helped his own cause with a double and a single.
Wyatt Stubbard hit a double and the brothers Hicks, Jarrett and Adam, contributed singles.
Lancaster’s Connor Hill was tagged with the loss, while the All Stars’ offensive leader was Jared Cosman with a double and a single.
Boutilier will hand the ball to fan favourite Logan Snow for today’s Game 2 that will see the first pitch thrown at 1 p.m. at the Cameron Bowl.
The winner of the series advances to the Canadian Little League Championship that begins Aug. 7 in Ottawa.
Meanwhile, the Glace Bay Logistech Miners have automatically advanced to the Canadian ‘Junior’ Little League Championship in Lethbridge, Ab. after New Brunswick failed to provide an opponent.