The Moose Jaw Canucks didn’t get off to the start they hoped for during the Baseball Sask 15U AAA Tier II championship, but they definitely made it interesting.
Trailing 9-6 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Canucks would plate a pair of runs and get the winning run to the plate before dropping a 9-8 decision to the Regina Athletics during the five-team tournament at Blackwell Diamond.
The Canucks got off to a bit of a slow start and trailed 5-1 heading into the bottom of the third, but by the time the inning was over they’d hold a 6-5 lead.
Marcus Capili and Ryder Hicks scored on wild pitches to open the inning before Hunter Scott, Tyson Ross and Ronan Tonge all came around with runs to give Moose Jaw their lead.
Regina went back ahead with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth and scored what would be two crucial insurance runs in the seventh to set up the Canucks’ final-inning push.
Hicks and Scott drew back-to-back walks to open the inning before Ross knocked home Hicks with the first run of the frame and Tonge brought home Scott with the second. That would be as close as they’d get, though, as Regina escaped with a game-ending strikeout.
Scott led the offence with a 2-for-3 day that included three runs scored, while Tonge was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI. Gibbs also knocked in a pair and Hicks had a walk and a sacrifice to go along with his two runs.
Defensively, there’s little question the Canucks will need to be better after committing six errors, leading to only five of the Regina runs being earned.
HIcks allowed five runs, three earned, while giving up five hits in 2 ⅔ innings, Tonge allowed two runs on three hits in 1 ⅔ innings, Scott went the next 2 ⅓ and gave up two unearned runs on two hits before Russell McDonald got the final out.
Other early results Friday saw the South East A’s take a 13-3 win over the White Butte Broncos and South East defeat the Regina Wolfpack 9-7.
The Canucks are back in action at 2:30 p.m. Saturday against White Butte before taking on South East at 5:30 p.m. and finishing the round robin at 12 p.m.Sunday against the Wolfpack.
The top two teams from the round robin advance to the gold medal game at 3 p.m. Sunday at Blackwell Diamond.
To keep up with all the scores from the weekend, be sure to click right here.
