Fast times in local fastpitch
This weekend’s provincial senior men’s championship is sandwiched by the St. John’s league playoffs
The 2018 Molson provincial senior men’s softball championship is scheduled for this weekend, with four teams slated to hit the ball field at Lions Park in St. John’s.
3 Cheers Pub Bud Light Dodgers, Kelly’s Pub Molson Bulldogs, NTV Hitmen and The Bigs — all entries in the St. John’s Molson Senior Men’s Softball League — will vie for the 56th all-newfoundland crown starting today.
The Page playoff system gets under way Saturday afternoon with the 1-2 game at 2 p.m., followed by the 3-4 game at 4 o’clock.
Sunday’s semifinal at noon features the winner of the 3-4 game vs the loser of the 1-2 game. The winner of that game plays the winner of the 1-2 game for the championship at 4 p.m.
Meanwhile, the St. John’s senior league kicked off its best-of-five playoffs with opening games Thursday evening at Lions Park.
In the first game, NTV Hitmen trimmed The Bigs 10-2 in five innings. Lee Cose (4IP, 2R, 3H, 2BB, 6K) started and recorded the win. Robbie Greene (1IP, 0R, 1H, 0BB, 3K) came on in relief.
Mike Noftall (4IP, 10R, 9H, 1HBP, 2BB, 4K) suffered the loss.
Danny Mullins was threefor-three for the Hitmen. Chris Murphy and Brad Ezekiel both had a pair of hits, with Murphy hitting a three-run home run.
Bryan Clarke had two hits in a losing cause.
Jason Hill tossed a four-hitter and struck out 14 to lead the 3 Cheers Bud Light Dodgers past Kelly’s Pub Molson Bulldogs by a 3-1 count. Blair Ezekiel (7IP, 3R, 8H, 1HBP, 2BB, 8K) took the loss.
Hill also homered in the first inning, a solo shot.
Ryan Kirk of the Dodgers was the only player in the game with two hits.
The two Ezekiels, Hill and Kirk had recently returned from Nova Scotia, where they had helped Newfoundland’s Galway Hitmen win a national senior men’s championship over the weekend.
The senior league playoffs resume next Tuesday with the Dodgers and Bulldogs meeting at 6 p.m. followed by the Hitmen and The Bigs at 8 p.m.