Foggies win Summerside Invitational
The Clark’s Harbour Foggies won the 14-team Summerside Chevy’s Bantam AA Invitational Baseball Tournament during the June 22-24 weekend with a perfect 5-0 record.
The Foggies opened the tournament with a convincing 12-0 victory over the Cardigan Cardinals from PEI. Leading 5-0 heading to the top of the seventh inning, the Clark’s Harbour squad exploded for seven runs on the way to their first win. Player of the game Nate Wickens had three singles, a walk and three runs scored, with Ethan Shand adding a double and a single. Drew Goreham, Jordan Belliveau, and Vinny Surette combined for the shutout on the bump.
Clark’s Harbour had made it two straight wins with a 12-2 drubbing of the Fredericton Royals in six innings. The locals scored 10 runs in the final three innings to break open what was a 2-1 game heading to the top of the fourth. Player of the game Tanner Nickerson paced the offence with a double and a single, while Ethan Brannen added a pair of singles. Ethan Shand and Vinny Surette combined for the win on the mound.
In their last game of the round robin, the Foggies pounded the Port City Pirates 12-2 in five innings. Player of the game Jacob Matthews had two singles and threw out two Pirate baserunners from behind the plate. Ethan Brannen added three singles, while Ben Nickerson, Austin Surette and Destinee Penney combined for the pitching duties.
Semi-final action on Sunday morning, June 24, saw the Foggies hammer the Oromocto A’s 13-3 in six innings. Oromocto stormed out to a 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning, only to see the Foggies respond with five runs of their own. The score remained the same until the Clark’s Harbour squad posted four runs in the bottom of the fourth and cruised to the victory from there. Nate Wickens picked up the win on the mound, while player of the game Ben Nickerson added a double, single and two RBIs at the plate. Ethan Shand had a double and two singles, with Austin Surette contributing three singles.
The final game of the tournament was a rematch against Fredericton. Clark’s Harbour shutout the Royals 8-0 to claim the championship banner. Player of the game Ethan Shand dominated on the mound, only surrendering a pair of Fredericton hits, while racking up 14 strikeouts during a complete game performance. The Foggies broke open a 1-0 lead with three runs in the fourth and four in the fifth to seal the victory. Shand, Ben Nickerson, and Austin Surette each slammed a double and a single at the plate.
“The team played some solid defense and pitched really well for this early in the season” said coach Andrew Holland. “It was a welldeserved win for the team. They should be proud.”
This was the first tournament title of the season for the Foggies and takes their record to 16 wins and two losses. The team will host Bridgewater, Sydney Mines, Weymouth, and Clark’s Harbour Atwood when they compete for the banner at their own Invitational Tournament on Sherose Island July 6 to 8. The Clark’s Harbour Foggies won the Summerside Chevy’s Bantam AA Invitational Baseball Tournament. Pictured, front, from left, Ben Nickerson, Ethan Brannen, Vinny Surette, Drew Goreham, Jacob Matthews and Austin Surette. Back row, Andrew Holland (coach), Jordan Belliveau, Nate Wickens, Ethan Shand, Tanner Nickerson, Destinee Penney and coach Carmen Brannen.