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 My Site News: Mustangs gallop to gold; Midgets go undefeated at falls tourney to improve to 15-0 |
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Wednesday, August 16
Mustangs gallop to gold; Midgets go undefeated at falls tourney to improve to 15-0
Mustangs gallop to gold; Midgets go undefeated at falls tourney to improve to 15-0
Sports - Wednesday, August 16, 2006 @ 09:00
When it comes to galloping into the winner's circle at baseball tournaments, the Welland Harpwood's Trophies Mustangs aren't horses running wild.
Last weekend in Niagara Falls, the midget team proved, for the third time in as many tournaments, that they are Triple Crown-winning thoroughbreds. Again going undefeated with five straight victories, improving their record at tournaments this season to a remarkable 15-0.
Welland nearly had to settle for the silver medal in the final against the host Niagara Falls Falcons. Coasting into the bottom half of sixth inning with a seemingly insurmontable 5-2 lead, the Mustangs suddenly faced the prospect of extra innings after the Falcons launched a three-run homer off Will Mathieson to knot the title tilt at 5-5 heading into the top of the seventh, Welland's final at-bat in regulation.
It took another two innings before the drama ended and the Mustangs were free to romp home, their tournament record unblemished.
Ryan Dear plated the go-ahead run after he singled in the top of ninth, reached second on Adam Crumb's sacrifice and scored on Mathieson's high chopper and a wild throw.
Niagara Falls managed to put a man on third with only one out in the home half of the second extra inning, but relief pitcher Robert Nixon struck out the next batter and forced the Falcons' last hope to hit a game-ending grounder.
Despite the lopsided score, an 11-0 victory over Woodstock, the opening game of the AAA tournament was almost as dramatic for the Wellanders. On his way to striking out a career-high 12 batters, Crumb was nearly unhittable on the mound for the Mustangs, losing his no-hit bid with two outs in the bottom of the seventh - and final - inning.
Drew Pettit paced the Welland hit parade with three hits, while Jon Hiller singled twice.
In their second game, the Mustangs allowed Pickering five runs in the fifth to squander a 4-0 lead but tied the game in the sixth and scored the winning run with two outs in the seventh. Justin Young walked, advanced to second on a balk and, while stealing third, raised home as the pickoff throw to third sailed into left field.
Sharing pitching duties for the Mustangs were Young, three scoreless innings; Dear, tagged with all five Pickering runs; and Geoff Strong, who earned the victory in relief.
Dear doubled to lead Welland batters, while Zac Fisher, Dan Cavasin and Strong collected singles.
Outstanding pitching carried the Mustangs into the win column in the team's next two games at the two-day tournament that wrapped up Sunday. Hiller fanned seven in a complete-game, four-hitter in a 6-1 defeat of Barrie, while Nixon whiffed 12 St. Catharines batters in a 12-0 victory in the semifinals that was called officials after five innings by the mercy rule.
Providing the firepower at the plate against Barrie was Cavasin, who collected a home run and a double while driving in three runs. Hiller doubled twice, while Young and Dear hit two singles apiece.
Hiller, with three hits; Nixon, with two; and Pettit, double; all had their way against St. Catharines pitching in the semifinal.
Weather permitting, the Mustangs will host Stoney Creek in a 7 p.m. start today at Burgar Park in a continuation of the round-robin portion of the playoffs. After upsetting top-seeded Niagara Falls 4-1 in the playoff opener, Welland's round-robin game against Dundas was rained out Monday night.
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