Bat-a-thon a hit with young sluggers

In an annual rite of spring, it was bat-a-thon day in Ridge Meadows Minor Baseball on Saturday.

Landon Smith takes a mighty swing at a pitch during the bat-a-thon skills competition and fundraising event for Ridge Meadows Minor Baseball on Saturday.

Landon Smith takes a mighty swing at a pitch during the bat-a-thon skills competition and fundraising event for Ridge Meadows Minor Baseball on Saturday.

In an annual rite of spring, it was bat-a-thon day in Ridge Meadows Minor Baseball on Saturday.

It was the fifth year for the annual fun competition of baseball skills, that sees kids not just hit for distance, but also speed around the bases, pitch against the radar gun, and play long toss at the greatest possible distance.

And it is also a fundraiser designed to keep baseball an affordable sport for families.

The association’s special events coordinator said some of the fundraising was out of the park.

“One of the Tadpole teams this year actually did their own Krispy Kreme donuts fundraiser, they raised $300 together,” she said. “A great result and a great team-building exercise.”

The on-field results were:

Rally Cap bat-a-thon:

1. Benjamin De Santis – Waves 118ft.

2. Karter Rutledge – Tigers 110 ft.

3. Brody Sharpe – Mariners 104ft.

Super-T bat-at-hon:

1.  Riley Kauhane – Cubs – 125 ft.

2.  Nolan Dingwall – White Sox – 115 ft. 3.  Dylan McNab – White Sox – 106 ft.

Tadpole bat-a-thon:

1. Ben Van Den Hoven 164’10”

2. Brayden Schulte 152’

3. Owen Toothill 147’

Skills competition winners:

Around the Horn – Cardinals

Dragon Race – Blue Jays

Shuttle Relay – Cubs

Furthest hit

1. Ben Van Den Hoven

2. Zachary Rowand

3. Chris Evans

Furthest throw

1. Tory Hutchinson

2. Logan Maxwell

3. Braeden Fotheringhame

Mosquito bat-a-thon:

1.Kody Davey – Blue Jays 209 ft.

2. Beau Benedictson – Phillies 204 ft.

3. Mason Lemmen – Pirates 203 ft.

Skills Day:

Fastest Around the Bases

1. Cooper Crowe – Red Sox

2. Jake Tanaka – Mariners

Pitching accuracy

Alex Dumoneceaux – Pirates

Hardest pitch

Second year (2005 birthdays)

1. Payton Godwin – Pirates

2. Beau Benedictson & Ben Leslie (tie)

First year (2006 birthdays)

1. Cooper Crowe – Red Sox

2. – Liam Sampson – Giants

Closest to cone

1. Ethan Cormack – Pirates

2. Sean Nisbet – Yankees

Around the horn

1. Blue Jays

2. Mariners

Two-man long toss

1. Beau Benedictson & Ben Leslie, Phillies

2. Carter Germain & Max Griffith, Mariners

Home Run competition

Second Year (2005 birthdays)

1. Mason Lemmen – Pirates

2. Payton Godwin – Pirates

First year (2006 birthdays)

1. Kaden Johnson – Rangers

Peewee bat-a-thon

1. Sebastian Wagner – Blue Jays 240 ft

Skills Day:

Fastest Pitch

Carson Hebert – Blue Jays

Pitching Accuracy

Shamus Horebec – Expos

60 Yard Dash

Nocholas Squeo – Yankees

Around the Horn – Expos

Three-man relay – Orioles

 

Maple Ridge News