The Moose Jaw 15U AAA Canucks came as close as a baseball team can come to pulling off a final-inning comeback on Thursday night at the Canada Day Classic in Okotoks, only to fall just short in the end.
Trailing 5-3 heading into the final inning, the Canucks scored a pair of runs and got the tying run to third before dropping a 5-4 decision to the South East A’s to open their showing at the high-profile event.
Ronan Tonge provided the first big hit of the final frame, with his single to centre field scoring Brettin Hutchinson with the first run of the inning. Spencer Craig then knocked home Tyson Ross one batter later to make it a one-run game, with Rylan Hicks advancing to third on the play. Tonge was tagged out trying to go to second, though, and one batter later Luke Pratte would fly out to end the game.
South East had taken their lead thanks to a pair of runs in the first inning and three more in the second, with the Canucks scoring one in each of the first two frames.
Ross finished the game 1-for-2 with a pair of runs scored, while Hunter Scott was 1-for-2 with a run scored and a run batted in.
Scott got the start on the mound and allowed five runs on four hits and four walks while striking out two over 1 ⅓ innings before Hicks finished the abbreviated contest off, holding South East scoreless while surrendering only two hits and striking out four over 2 ⅔ innings.
The Canucks tournament continues against the Red Deer Braves on June 30 followed by a triple-header on Canada Day against the Okotoks Dawgs Black, Black Golf 47’s and Calgary Cardinals.
