Bombs Away
Tales from the Doug-Out: June 11th, 2018
It might not be the best idea to park your car along the perimeter of the outfield fence at Wilson Field if the bantam boys are playing. Case in point. Last Monday night, ‘Danny Boy’ Cardinal crushed the ball sending a bomb over the fence on Wilson Field and it bounced right on the middle of the road and almost into diamond number two.
Fortunately, it was right over some cars and pick ups that were parked there and not into their windshield. I’ve seen a few balls hit into windshield over the years, but usually it’s from behind the back stop not the outfield fence.
‘Danny Boy’ helping the Sox take the lead in a really good game. That night, the Bantam Sox were holding on to a one run lead when the St. Paul Storm loaded up the bases in the top of the seventh, when a pitching change was made.
‘King Cole’ Bendixen, who was catching in this game, was called in to save the game. ‘King Cole’ can fire the fastball for strikes, but his best pitch is his curve ball, that has some really good movement down and across the plate. It has batters fooled and they swing and miss the ball hitting nothing but air!
‘King Cole’ shut them down, and the Sox didn’t need their last at bat to win. Matthew Quinney, Keith Stuparyk and Brandon Gertsen also all doing an awesome job pitching a couple innings each in this one.
Tuesday night, the Peewee Sox followed suit, doing the same against Cold Lake winning 12 to 11 in the final inning. Vanden ‘Super Mario’ Moroziuk throwing the first two innings, Phoenix ‘Pony Express’ Quiney doing middle relief, and Sam ‘Spiderman’ Rogal coming in as the closer.
A great weekend for both of our provincial teams. The Bantam Provincial team, the Northstars, traveled to Spruce Grove and played Wainwright in their first game on Saturday. Cold Lake product, Seth Cobourne, pitched a great game allowing only one run in four innings. Andon the ‘Ace’ Ballas having his best outing of the year came in and closed out the game in the 5th. Going three up and three down on only 10 pitches.
The Northstars with the ten run lead after five innings winning by the mercy rule 14 to 1. Everyone in the line up was pounding the ball. Braden Reid with some nice hits and some terrific defensive plays in the field.
Evan ‘Batman’ Ockerman back in the line up for the first time since his injury to his finger hitting 2 for 2 was having a great day before he jammed his ankle coming into the bag at second base and was injured once again. He was replaced in the game and unable to play after that. The team sure missed him in the line up, last time when he was out so hopefully this isn’t a bad one and he will be back in action sooner than later.
In the second game, the bats went to sleep against the host Parkland. The Northstars losing a close one 8 to 7. Charlie ‘Chuckles’ Rogal pitched a great game all the same getting into the 6th inning. Reliever Brad Atwal entered the game with the bases loaded in the 6th holding Parkland to only two runs.
Congratulations also going out to Brad who calls St. Paul his home for making the Alberta Summer Games Zone 7 team.
Sunday morning Evan ‘Goat’ Gauthier was pitching a gem of a game in the drizzle , when in came the heavy rain. The Northstars up 9 to 1 after 2 innings, the umpires forced to call the game due to unsafe conditions. Too bad for the ‘Goat’ who is from St. Lina. He was on fire in this one and most likely would have finished the game even though he was cleaning his spikes of gumbo almost every pitch.
The game was suspended and will be finished in Sherwood Park in a few weeks from now.
Kobe ‘Cobra’ Warawa had his best weekend of this season at the plate going 7 for 9 with some timely RBI’s .Nolan Dechaine and Evan ‘Bobsey’ Gamache also both hitting really well at the dish.
This team is really starting to gel and play together, and if you don’t believe me, come out and see for yourself on the weekend of June 23rd and 24th they will hosting a provincial round robin right here at home on Wilson Field.
Kobe Warawa
Nolan Dechaine
Tornado warnings coming Saturday afternoon here in Elk Point; but, meanwhile down in Camrose the Mosquitoes Provincial team was tearing up the ball diamond winning both of their games. Starting pitcher in the first game, Madden ‘Mad Dog’ Flamand going for three and half innings struck out 8 batters against the host Camrose.
Koltin Davis, Raif ‘Rug Rat’ Evans Anderson and ‘Top Gunner’ Crawford all coming in on relief, the Sox up 8 to 7 going into the bottom of the last inning when the head coach Dennell Anderson went to closer Timmy ‘the Freight Train’ Cardinal to chuck the ball.
With two out, bases loaded, the Camrose batter popped up, ‘Mad Dog’ makes the catch and the Sox win their very first provincial game of the season.
The second game against Lacombe, Kaleb ‘Formula One’ Flamand and ‘Bo Diddley’ Fontaine sharing the pitching duties going three innings each keeping the game close. The team did really well at the plate.
A home run in this game for ‘Top Gunner’ Crawford, who could also be known as top runner Gunner with his speed. Coaches want their lead off batter to be a good at getting on base and stealing bases once they are on base and ‘Top Gunner’ is starting to appear to be the man for the job. He gets on base and has great speed for running.
Some great at bats for ‘Mad Dog’ who hit four singles in this one, three singles for ‘Bo Diddley’ , a double for Brayden ‘Pinball’ Pinette and singles for ‘Cyclone Cole’ Pierce and Rylan Dustow.
The Sox coming from behind winning this one 17 to 14 in the last inning.
The next day the team played in Beaumont in the rain for most of the game, losing this one 12 to 8. ‘Pinball’ and Koltin Davis doing a good job pitching in this one, the bats just not as hot as the day before. Two singles each by Janka Dawn Evans-Anderson and the ‘Freight Train’.
The Mosquitoes Provincial team will also be hosting a round robin here at home on the weekend of June 23rd and 24th. Make sure you come check them out.
A really good week for our softball teams this past week too. The U-14 played two games winning both over Cold Lake and Bonnyville. The U-16 won one over Frog lake and lost out to Vermilion.
The Midget U-19 won both games over Bonnyville and Pierceland. The Bonnyville game was back and forth, the biggest battle was fighting against the caterpillars who were trying to get into the dug out! In the Pierceland game Keanna ‘Radio Active ‘ Radcliffe was untouchable, she pitched four no hit innings out of seven. Abby Baker the MVP hammered three home runs and made an amazing diving catch. Brooke ‘Cookie’ Krider hit a double deep into left field bringing in two runs.
And now for the K. A Campbell quote of the week. ‘ Little League is a very good thing because it keeps parents off the streets. ” – Yogi Berra
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