Junior Bulls sticking with the plan

Keep on keeping on. Wrapping up the fourth day of the Junior Little League Canadian Championship at 4-0 following a 13-0 win over the NDG Lynx (Montreal) from Quebec Sunday night at Spitz Stadium, it’s a mantra that has served the host Lethbridge Junior Bulls well.

As they head into acton today with sole possession of first place at 4-0 and get ready to face the Alberta representative Medicine Hat Little League (3-1) in a clash of the top-two teams today at 1:30 p.m., that mindset will need to be carried forward.

“It’s been good,” said Junior Bulls coach Shayne MacInnis. “They’ve been competing well and if we can carry this throughout tomorrow we’re going to do very well at the end of the tournament.”

Wrapping up Sunday’s action, the Junior Bulls broke open a scoreless tie after the first with a five-run second and tacked on four more in the third inning for a 9-0 lead.

The hosts plated one more run in the fourth and three in the fifth to clinch the fiveinning decision.

“They come out fired up for every game and they’re excited to compete,” said MacInnis. “It’s doing the small things. Our base running has been very good all tournament and we’ve been banging the ball around. So it’s been good to coming out firing right away.”

The Bulls served up 10 hits in Sunday night’s win, led by catcher Brayden Peters’ threehit outing as he went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI.

Third baseman Kalem Haney went 2-for-2 for Lethbridge with two runs scored, while centre fielder Gabe Neufeld contributed with a pair of RBI.

Ethan Smith earned the win for the Junior Bulls, going one inning, walking two and striking out one.

William Martinet took the loss for Quebec.

“I expect the same thing every game,” said MacInnis. “I expect them to come out and compete and whatever happens at the end of the game, happens at the end of the game.”

In the second game of the day, B.C.’s Coquitlam Little League/Fraser Valley District defeated the Sydney Sooners of the Maritimes 7-4.

The Sooners jumped to a 4-1 lead by the fourth inning, but B.C. battled back with four runs in the fifth inning and two more in the seventh for the win that improves them to 2-2, while the Maritimes are 0-4.

Nicholas Lamourea was 3-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI for B.C.

Rykan Stovern batted 2-for-4 for B.C. with one run scored, while leadoff hitter Zachary Laid chipped in with two RBI. Owen Wiegner was 2-for-4. For the Maritimes, first baseman Daniel MacGillivary was 2-for-2 with one run scored and two RBI and Connor Campbell was 2-for-3 with one run scored.

In other play today, B.C. and Quebec get things going at 8:30 a.m. before Ontario plays the Maritimes at 11 a.m.