SASKATOON -- The most successful season in recent Moose Jaw baseball history came to a disappointing end this past weekend in Saskatoon.
The Moose Jaw Canucks reached the gold medal game at the Baseball Saskatchewan 15U AAA provincial championship on Sunday afternoon but would drop a 6-4 decision to the Sask Five Giants.
Moose Jaw came into the tournament as the definitive top seed after putting together a 31-1 record in the Sask Premier Baseball League regular season, but after their opening game at provincials, it became apparent winning it all wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.
The Canucks opened the event on Friday with a commanding 10-0 win over the Saskatoon Expos but dropped their second game of the round robin 9-8 to the Saskatoon Astros. As a result, their final game of the preliminary round against the Regina Athletics was a must win, and they’d score a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 5-4 victory and book a spot in the semifinal Sunday morning.
There, the Canucks had a stellar pitching performance from Lucas Lind to secure a 5-0 victory over the Saskatoon Expos, setting up the match-up with the Giants.
Moose Jaw 5, Expos 0
One of the standout players in the SPBL all season, Lind put an exclamation mark on his final outing of the campaign on the mound for Moose Jaw.
Lind would toss a complete game shutout, giving up only two hits over the seven innings, striking out 13 and walking three.
His teammates gave him all the run support he’d need with a single run in the second inning. The Canucks would add an insurance marker in the fourth, two more in the fifth and another in the sixth to cap scoring in the contest.
Daxton Chesney led the way at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI. Cohen Symak, Neal Kohl and Zaid Guillaume scored Moose Jaw’s other runs.
Bronx Becker had a solid outing of his own while taking the loss for Saskatoon, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits, striking out 11 and walking two.
Mason Willick and Peyton Olynick had the Expos only hits.
Sask Five 6, Moose Jaw 4
The Canucks took a 3-1 lead into the top of the fifth inning but suddenly found themselves chasing when Sask Five rallied for three in the bottom of the inning and a 4-3 edge. Moose Jaw would tie things up in the sixth, but the Giants replied with the go-ahead and insurance runs in their half of the inning, and the Canucks would be unable to get anything going in their final at bat.
It was a tough go for the Canucks in the bottom of the sixth, as a one-out single and back-to-back walks loaded the bases, after which Keaton Mora scored the winning run on a wild pitch and a balk brought home Haaken Flodell with the insurance run.
Guillaume went 1-for-3 with a run and RBI to lead Moose Jaw at the plate, Symak,Chesney and Lind scored their other runs.
Ryder Collins hit a three-run home run for Sask FIve, Flodell crossed the plate twice.
Collins also started for the Giants and allowed three runs on five hits over five innings, Jyles Kennedy tossed the final two and picked up the win.
Kaiden Gadd got the start for Moose Jaw and allowed four runs, three earned on seven hits over 4 ⅓. Emery Schoenroth took the loss.
Sask Five will now represent Saskatchewan at the Art Berard Western Canadian Baseball Association 15U AAA Championship beginning Aug. 15 in Saskatoon.
