The Vernon Canadians left the Ladner Red Sox feeling blue.
The host Canadians avenged a preliminary round loss to Ladner by edging the Red Sox 3-2 in the championship game of the B.C. U18 AA Baseball Finals Sunday, Aug. 4, at Marshall Fields.
Cs pitching ace Koen Holmes tossed a complete game, 99-pitch gem to help Vernon win its second minor baseball provincial title, and first at the U18 level.
"This is a really special group, a bunch of longtime friends who have played together a lot and are really close," said Vernon head coach Dan Braddick, who has been coaching minor baseball locally for 15 years. His team lost 2-0 in the semifinals of the same tournament a year ago to the Vancouver Mounties in Richmond.
"We have an even mix of first-, second-, and third-year players. It was a real pitcher's battle in the final. Koen pitched well. And there was a huge crowd out to watch and cheer us on."
Holmes got the final out of the tournament with three straight fastballs, registering between 85- and 87-miles-per-hour.
"He had a little extra on those pitches," said Braddick.
Vernon jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of Sunday's championship, but the Red Sox 香蕉视频直播� who defeated Vernon 10-2 Saturday to clinch first place in Pool B at 4-0 香蕉视频直播� scored single runs in the top of the fourth and fifth innings to equalize.
The Canadians, who were 3-1 in the round-robin, scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth with first-year player Nixon Swanson delivering a clutch single to score Anthony Sanfilippo.
The four-time defending champion Vancouver Mounties, winners of Pool A with a 4-0 record, lost their Sunday morning semifinal, 4-1, to the Canadians. It was the Mounties' first and only loss of their summer season after 16 straight wins.
"Members of the Mounties and their families stayed behind to watch and cheer us on," said Braddick. "Their organization has picked up a few Vernon players to attend Western Canadians win them over the last four seasons."
Ladner walloped New Westminster/South Burnaby 17-1 in Sunday's other semifinal.
The Canadians will now represent B.C. at the U18 AA Western Canadian championships Aug. 13-15 in St. Albert, Alta.
Players on the Vernon roster along with Holmes, Sanfilippo, and Swanson include Luc Gilbert, Ryder Hornhardt, Tyson Macleod, Jordan Harrington, Micah Davyduke, Vincent Sanfilippo, Everett Brown, Gabe Kibblewhite, Hayden Forgie, and Oliver Horne.
Joining Braddick on the coaching staff are Mike Sanfilippo, Rob Holmes, and Jason Gilbert.
The Salmon Arm Hornets went 0-4 in Pool A.
