Championship bond

Sydney Sooners advance to NSSBL championship series with sweep of Truro Bearcats

For the first time since 2014, the Sydney Sooners are heading back to the Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League championship series.

The Sooners advanced to the league final on Friday, posting a 7-5 win over the Truro Bearcats at the Susan McEachern Memorial Ball Park in Sydney. With the win, the Sooners sweep the best-of-five semifinal series with the Bearcats 3-0.

“It was a back and forth game, but we had four or five what I would call mental mistakes — base running and miscues on our defence,” said Sooners manager Jim (Rico) McEachern. “We’re tough to beat at home.”

The Sooners didn’t take long getting the bats going in the game. After a scoreless top of the first inning, Sydney scored four runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-0 lead, before adding a run in the second inning to make the score 5-0.

Truro answered in the third inning, scoring four runs and cutting the Sooners lead to one, but Sydney replied with a run in the fourth inning, adding to their lead.

The Bearcats and Sooners would swap runs in the seventh and eight innings.

Mike Tobin led the offense for Sydney with two singles, two stolen basses and four RBI. Cory Christie had three singles and an RBI, while Josh Forrest, Sean Ferguson and Kenny Long each chipped in with two singles apiece.

Darson Murphy, Adam Lombard and Shawn Mullens each had two singles for Truro.

Sheldon MacDonald was the winning pitcher for the Sooners, allowing eight hits and striking out seven. John Chapman was tagged with the loss.

Sydney will face either the Dartmouth Moosehead Dry or the Halifax Pelham Molson Canadians in the championship series. The Dry lead the best-of-five semifinal series 2-1 with Game 4 of the series taking place today in Halifax.

“Dartmouth offers you a stronger pitching staff to throw against you,” said McEachern. “I sometimes think that the Halifax squad will throw a tough offensive lineup against you, so either one of these teams will be tough in the finals.”

The best-of-seven Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League championship series will begin next weekend in Sydney.

JEREMY FRASER/CAPE BRETON POST Mike Tobin, right, of the Sydney Sooners dives back to first base as Dan Bates of the Truro Bearcats slaps the tag on him during Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League playoff action at the Susan McEachern Memorial Ball on Friday. The Sooners won, 7-5.