Expos Place 1st in USSSA Firecracker Tournament

The Expos won gold in their first of two U.S tournaments over the weekend, it was a total team effort as the Expos averaged just over 10 runs scored a game, 11 hits a game and 0.5 runs allowed per game.

Vancouver came into game 1 not knowing what to expect in their first U.S tournament, playing at 90" diamonds and metal bat the Expos were in foreign territory but were out to prove that they were here to compete. In game 1, it was quick 8-0 drubbing of the Tugs East team from Washington as Vancouver pounded out 12 hits, punctuated by Inomata and Domingo's 3 hit performances at the dish. Hutchings, Howse and Ellis shared mound duties and all three looked anything but overmatched at the longer mound distance.

Game 2 saw the Expos face the Tugs West team, another 12 hit day for Vancouver, this time Hutchings, Ellis and Yamamoto recording the multi-hit game. 5 pitchers were used in 6 innings, Domingo Horino, Howse, Fukuda and Yamamoto; only 1 earned run was allowed in 6 innings of committee work en route to a 10-2 win.

The semi final saw the Expos face the same Tugs East team this time pounding out 10 hits in 2 offensive innings before settling for a 12-0 mercy win after 2.5 innings. Inomata got his first taste of mound action and impressed only allowing 1 hit over his 3 innings of work, he only needed 31 pitches to pick up the complete game shutout. Vancouver went for the jugular early scoring 7 runs in the first and 6 runs in the 2nd, highlighted by back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back doubles in the 2nd inning; the Expos had 7 doubles, Domingo had 2 of those doubles and 4 RBIs to go with it.

In the championship final, the Expos faced the Longview All-Stars who they hadn't seen this tournament yet. Longview threw their hard-throwing righty who had dominated hitters all tournament but got lit up today. Longview saw their starter get knocked around for 3 runs on 6 hits in 3 innings of work. Hutchings got Vancouver on the board first thanks to a deep CF double plating Domingo who reached base on a leadoff single. Two more runs for Vancouver in the 2nd chased the Longview starter as Antiporda hit a long RBI triple and later scored thanks in part to a Fukuda single. It seemed like a tight game with both teams playing remarkable defence but Vancouver exploded in the 4th as they scored 7 runs, Hutchings with a 2 hit, 3 RBI performance. Domingo was effective in his 4 inning start allowing 0 runs on 2 hits and picking up 4 Ks.

It may not have been the best competition but the Expos impressed only allowing 1 earned run in 4 games, everyone recording a hit this past weekend and everyone felt comfortable playing at the 90" diamonds. Most importantly, Vancouver got the confidence they need at the plate going into the final stretch of the season, it all starts (and ends) with the most important double header of the year as Victoria Black vists Nanaimo Park on Wednesday 1pm for a rare weekday double header.