Saskatoon pitcher overpowers Eagles in playoff game

Controversy at Canadian senior men’s championship

The Summerside Chrysler Dodge Eagles were simply overwhelmed in a sudden-death single elimination playoff game against the Saskatoon Angels at the 2018 Canadian senior men’s fastpitch championship on Saturday. Angels pitcher Devon McCullough struck out 19 Eagles in a 2-0 victory. The Eagles, however, still managed to threaten in the fifth inning as they left the bases loaded after a single by Jason Smallman – the only hit given up by McCullough – and walks to Morgan Murphy and Brady Woods. Matt Dawson also reached base in the seventh inning after being walked by McCullough. Woods was impressive in his own right on the mound for the Eagles as he allowed only three hits – all in the fourth inning, when Saskatoon scored its first run. The Eagles, who battled to the very end, played solid ball and put forth a strong effort in finishing play at the nationals 2-5 (won-lost). After defeating the Eagles, the Angels defeated the East Hants Mastadons 3-2 to eliminate the defending Canadian champions. The Angels trailed 2-1 until the seventh inning, when with two outs and two strikes on their third hitter of the inning Saskatoon’s bats came alive with a single, double, walk and Patric Burns’s gamewinning RBI single.

Controversy

Controversy transpired in the final game of Saturday evening between the Newfoundland Galway Hitmen and the Sooke Loggers from British Columbia. After a play at the plate in the first inning – the Hitmen’s Mathieu Roy plowed over B.C. pitcher Scott Lieph at the plate – the benches emptied, including former Newfoundland and Labrador premier and Hitmen owner Danny Williams. Several punches were thrown and three players were ejected. Then in the third inning, the Hitmen’s Ryan Boland headed towards the mound after an inside pitch, but the players were quickly separated. Both teams were warned by Softball Canada and notified any further supplemental discipline at the event and beyond could involve eligibility for international events, provincial and league play. “Softball Canada does not condone the actions of the Galway Hitmen and the Sooke Loggers in the championship round game of the 2018 Canadian men’s fastpitch championship,” tournament director Lisa Down said in a released statement. The Hitmen defeated the Loggers 8-0 in Sunday’s final. The core of the Newfoundland and Labrador squad has now won six of the last seven national championships.