15U Nationals Game #1 - Team BC off and running with an opening game win over Team Saskatchewan

Following a day of exploring downtown Montreal and shaking off the jet lag, Team BC was itching to get back on the field and compete with the best Canada has to offer. Their opponents for this Thursday afternoon match-up were Team Saskatchewan, who came away with a bronze medal at 15U Nationals in their home province a year ago. It was a pleasant, sunny day with a strong wind blowing in from left field – familiar weather conditions for the boys from BC, but the playing surface in Quebec is much different from what they’re accustomed to. A mixture of clay, sand and salt covers the entire infield of both ballparks. BC would play their first two games at the smaller Parc Chénier on Thursday before wrapping up their Group A schedule on the main Parc Paul-Marcel-Maheu. 

Team BC 4, Team Saskatchewan 1 

BC got something going in the top of the 3rd, as Jack Bello drove an 0-2 pitch into the right-centre gap for what could’ve been a leadoff triple if not for a little stumble around first base. The dirt around first base was incredibly soft and made it difficult for anyone to get any sort of traction, so Bello had to settle for a double. Hayden Mangat then stepped in and executed a perfect sacrifice bunt – except it wasn’t a sacrifice, because Saskatchewan failed to cover first base, which allowed Mangat to reach safely. With Bello now on third, the first of two Saskatchewan balks was called, bringing home the game’s first run and moving Mangat over to third with one out. Nanaimo’s Tyler McWhinnie then tried to cash in Mangat with a squeeze, but the pitch bounced in front of the plate, not really giving McWhinnie much of a chance and leaving Mangat caught in no man’s land. 1-0 BC after 2 ½ innings.

Fast forward to the top of the 5th now, when BC looked poised to expand their lead just two pitches into the inning. Shortstop Mason Dubnov ripped a single up the middle, followed by starting pitcher Dylan De Meyer helping his own cause by lining a ball just out of the reach of Saskatchewan’s centre-fielder. After Mangat was hit by a pitch to load the bases, it was time for pinch-hitter Reece Abbott to put his stamp on the game. He lifted one deep enough to right field for Dubnov to tag up and scamper home from third, giving BC a 2-0 lead. Three batters into the top of the 6th, BC doubled their lead thanks to a pair of free passes and a laser off the bat of captain Desmond Tregaskis. Chilliwack’s Carter Bestebroer worked a very disciplined walk, then Jack Redpath wore one to put two runners on with nobody out. Another balk against Saskatchewan bumped both runners into scoring position for Tregaskis, as he hammered it in the vicinity of the centre-fielder who came charging in and whiffed on the catch, the ball rolling away behind him, Tregaskis winding up on second with a 2RBI double. 4-0 BC heading to the bottom of the 7th.  

Through six innings, BC pitching had yet to allow a hit and Saskatchewan had only managed one baserunner in scoring position. They would threaten to make things interesting in their last gasp, starting with a leadoff knock by provincial team veteran Mason Fauser. However, BC was determined not to let their opponents back in it, especially their veteran centre-fielder Connor Fischer. Did I mention how much of a problem the wind was for outfielders on this afternoon in particular? Fischer’s centre-field counterpart launched one high into right centre-field, and he ran for a mile to catch this ball for the first out, essentially erasing any hope Saskatchewan had of mounting a comeback. They did push one across in the inning to avoid the shutout, but it wasn’t enough. Team BC secured the win on the back of terrific pitching from De Meyer, Lin and Dubnov, who combined to strike out 12 Saskatchewan batters. De Meyer, a pick-up from Abbotsford, was named MVP of the game and rewarded with a Baseball Quebec toque – no hits allowed in 4 2/3 innings of work, removed after 65 pitches to be considered eligible for championship Sunday. Next up for Team BC, a late-night battle under the lights against the Quebec provincial team, where they will shoot for a 2-0 start. 

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