Jul
25
Written by:
News Editor
Sunday, July 25, 2010 4:26 PM
By Brett Bonderud
Under bright blue skies and warm temperatures, Fraser River-Delta took gold against Thompson-Okanagan, 6-3, in the boys baseball championship game this morning at McLeod Athletic Park.
Friends and family from both regions of the province gathered to cheer on the best of what the BC Summer Games baseball tournament had to offer.
Beyond the outfield, tall broad-leafed trees shaded the players from the sun while in the stands freestanding makeshift awnings gave shelter to parents, siblings, and fans wishing for temporary respite from the heat. Fold out chairs lined the backstop blacktop area and umbrellas popped open in preparation for the game’s eventual seven innings.
The cheering in the bleachers started early in the second inning, as Fraser River-Delta came up to bat. Calls of “Go Red Go for Gold” came from Thompson-Okanagan supporters hoping to shake Fraser River-Delta’s confidence. A sacrifice bunt by Tim Bunnett put teammate Anthony Cusati on third base.
In the following at bat, Shoma Sasaki hit a centre line drive to bring Anthony Cusati in for Fraser River-Delta’s first run. One more run came from Sasaki as a missed catch brought him home to give Fraser River-Delta a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, Thompson-Okanagan’s Dawson Yates ran home off a foul ball to move his team within one of Fraser River-Delta.
In the fourth, a hit by Sebastian Hayes allowed Tim Bunnett to make it home giving Fraser River-Delta a 3-1 lead. However, late in the fourth a high right field pop by Thompson-Okanagan’s Brennan Hegel brought Dawson Yates in, moving the score to 3-2.
In the top of the fifth inning Fraser River-Delta got go ahead runs from Ryan McGee and Anthony Cusati to bring their lead to 5-2. Thompson-Okanagan took their final run from Trevor Mlait off a sacrifice fly by teammate Davis Todosichuk to bring the score to 5-3 for Fraser River-Delta. One more run from Fraser River-Delta by Anthony Cusati settled things at 6-3 giving Fraser River-Delta the gold.
A jubilant Fraser River-Delta gold medal winner Sebastian Hayes from Richmond said that his team all stuck together and never let each other down. Hayes said he was confident on the mound and hopes to build on his success with eventual play in the major leagues.
The silver medal was won by Thompson-Okanagan and their coach, Gary Yates, said he was proud of his boys.
“They hit the ball hard and bonded well. A great weekend overall,” Yates said.