Balanced attack
Islanders have used a variety of lineups early in junior season
Depth has been the key ingredient to the early season success for the P.E.I. Junior Islanders, says head coach Dave MacIsaac.
The squad has an 18-man roster with a handful of affiliate players. It is crucial for a team of young men balancing the love for sport with summer jobs.
“We’re able to plug some guys in (without) a great falloff,” MacIsaac said.
It has the Islanders (5-1) atop the New Brunswick Junior Baseball League.
They look to keep it rolling today when they welcome the Chatham Ironmen to Memorial Field for a doubleheader beginning at noon.
Porter Smith is expected to start the first game with either Spencer Horne or Brett Hicken getting the ball in Game 2. P.E.I. swept the Ironmen during the opening weekend of the season in Charlottetown.
The Islanders host the Saint John Alpines Sunday at noon for a twin bill in Summerside.
Matt Barlow will start one of the games for the Isles with the other game’s starter to be determined.
The Islanders graduated a handful of players from last year, including Colin and Brady Arsenault and Grant Grady, who are with the senior squad.
Hicken and Smith both pitched for the Juniors last year, but were down the depth chart behind the Arsenaults and Horne.
“We’re getting a lot more miles out of them this year,” MacIsaac said. “They got some opportunities last year and now this year they’re being called upon to do more” and have rose to the occasion.
The Islanders will represent the province at the under-21 nationals in Gatineau, Que., from Aug. 17-21.
P.E.I.’s junior baseball team hosts the Chatham Ironmen today at noon in a New Brunswick league twin bill at Memorial Field.
The Dave MacIsaac-coached Islanders are off to a fast start with a league leading 5-1 record in the loop with Chatham (0-3), Saint John (0-3), Fredericton (1-0) and Moncton (2-1). The local club has plenty of talent with standouts like J.J. Oram, brothers Conor and Curtis McGregor, Ryne MacIsaac, Darcy Affleck and a pitching staff that has looked sharp in the early going. Brett Hicken is 2-0 and averaging almost a strikeout per inning after two starts while Spencer Horne, MacIsaac and Porter Smith are all 1-0.
There are a number of new faces I haven’t seen in action but today is as good a time as any to get out to the ballpark.
The junior squad hosts the Saint John Alpines Sunday at noon in Summerside.
In other baseball action, the Charlottetown Gaudet’s Auto Body Islanders of the New Brunswick senior circuit are on the road today for a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. in Fredericton, N.B. The Islanders are still without all-star Morgan MacLean but they have a top-notch pitching staff, which is as good as any in the league and that makes them a tough opponent.
Hockey
The Charlottetown Minor Hockey Association held its annual general meeting in the city this past week and former star senior player Keith (Bim) Ford was elected president.
He replaces George Halliwell whose term expired, but he remains on the board. Halliwell’s tenure as president resulted in a number of successful initiatives like the free gear program, an Introduction to hockey program for newcomers and pursuit of policies advocating full rosters and fair ice time for all. He did a wonderful job.
Ford is highly regarded and is joined on the board by another top hockey guy in Mark Campbell. Minor hockey is in good hands.
Gordon Tweedy, a former big rangy winger with UNB from another era, turns the big 69 again tomorrow. Tweedy still plays old timers hockey and is looking great. Save a piece of that birthday cake for The Prophet.
Golf
I got my first round of golf in Wednesday and opened the season with a birdie at Avondale. Not surprisingly, it was my only one of the day. It’s gets better folks.
My playing Dan O’Neil, president of Surge Energy from Calgary, brought his A game, as we upset Wendell MacEachern and Roger MacLauchlan on their home course.
In other golf news, according to my sources veteran golfer Bobby McGee opened the Super Senior Island tour with a sharp 79 at Country View last week. McGee appears to be getting better with a little age.
The P.E.I. Canada Games baseball team’s fundraising golf tournament is set for Sunday, June 11, at Mill River. There’s a $10,000 hole-in-one plus a new car hole-in-one. It’s a must-attend event.
Harness racing
Live harness racing in Charlottetown continues tonight at 6 p.m. with a 12-dash card.
The $2,100 feature goes in Race 11 and includes Elm Grove Kaboom, Eagle Jolt and five others.
Newcomer Morosito Bi captured the $1,700 top class trot on Thursday with a sharp 1:58 and change victory. Handled by Jason Hughes for Foxyhall Racing, Morosito Bi will keep the top trotters on their toes this summer.
Another local horse that caught my attention is Zero Rate, a lightly raced four-yearold son of Camluck. Last Saturday, he stepped to a lifetime best of 1:56:3 for driver Marc Campbell and trainer Mickey Gallant, who co-owns with Bill MacKinnon and Calvin Larkin of Stratford.
Last year’ s top two-year-old pacer in North America, Huntsville, and this season’s top sophomore, Fear the Dragon, were very impressive with PA stakes victories at Harrahs, Philadelphia on Thursday. Both colts won in 1:49 and appear to be a notch above the class at this point in the season.
Two divisions of the Somebeachsomewhere stakes go behind the gate at Mohawk tonight for $70,000 featuring some of the best Canadian sophomores. Dr. Ian Moore and Serge Savard’s Classic pro leaves from Post 3 in a division that also includes Beyond Delight, Lawrencetown Beach, Who Said Not To (James MacDonald) and seven others.
Ideal Wheel with trainer Casie Coleman and driver Louie-Philippe Roy appears to be the best in the other division.
It’s a great card with two divisions of The Graduate series for older pacers and a division for top aged trotters.
At Northfield, Ohio, tonight Mark MacDonald has the outside post position in the $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie. Last year’s top aged trotter, Obrigado, was scheduled to go his final qualifier this morning at The Meadowlands, New Jersey.