BASEBALL
P.E.I.’s Mustangs drop only game of day to Quebec
The host Summerside Chevys split two games while Team P.E.I.’s MidIsle Mustangs played once at the Baseball Canada national 15-under championship in Summerside on Friday.
It was another up-and-down day for the Summerside Chevys. For the second day in a row, the Chevys split two games in round-robin play in the Baseball Canada national 15-under championship at Queen Elizabeth Park. The Chevys started Day 2 of the 11-team tournament by losing 11-1 to Manitoba in an early-morning contest, and then bounced back to defeat Nova Scotia 4-1 before a good crowd on Friday night.
“I always tell the kids I don’t care who we are playing, you have to have confidence in yourself that you can win the game,” said Chevys head coach Dale MacDougall. “We (coaches) have confidence in each and every one of the kids. The Chevys, who lost 7-2 to Newfoundland and Labrador and defeated Saskatchewan 9-4 on Thursday, will take a 2-2 (won-lost) record into their final round-robin game against unbeaten Alberta (4-0) on Saturday at 11 a.m. “We have to come ready to play,” added MacDougall.
Team P.E.I.
Meanwhile, Team P.E.I.’s Mid-Isle Mustangs dropped to 0-2 (won-lost) following an 11-3 loss to Quebec. Things don’t get any easier for the Island representatives, who play British Columbia on Saturday at 8:45 a.m., and then close out the round robin against New Brunswick at 1:30 p.m.
It’s been a tough schedule for the Island squad, which faced perennial powerhouse Ontario in its opening game Thursday night.
Chevys 4, Nova Scotia 1
Before a good crowd at the Very Important Volunteer (VIV) Field, the Chevys scored single runs in the first four innings and rode an outstanding pitching performance by Eric Anderson.
The right-hander gave up just one earned run on two hits and two walks while striking out eight in a complete-game effort.
Offensively, Anderson, Bennett MacArthur and Ben MacDougall all had two hits to lead the Chevys while Nathan Jones launched his second home run of the national championship.
Manitoba 11, Chevys 1
At Legends Field, Manitoba had back-to-back four-run innings to open up an 8-0 lead after three. Shayne Campbell and Isaiah Letkeman each had two hits for Manitoba (1-2). Jones, Matt Williams, Chase Gaudette and Noah Duckworth had Summerside’s hits. Gaudette’s third-inning double plated Williams with the host team’s lone run. Jason Suderman earned the pitching win over Marcus Gauthier.
Quebec 11, Mustangs 3
At the VIV Field, Quebec led 7-3 after four innings and then scored twice in each of the fifth and sixth innings to break the game open. Nicolas Tremblay, Simon Menier and Jason Begin all contributed two hits for Quebec (1-1). Tremblay and Deven Lacerte Desmarais hit home runs for Quebec while Jordan Spence connected for a two-run shot for P.E.I.
Ethan Beaulieu (2-for-3, walk, run scored, RBI) was the top batter for P.E.I.