Chase Batchelor boosted the Vernon Kal Tire Canadians to an 11-3 win over host Rutland #1 in Sunday’s final of the Wesley Nelson Pee Wee Baseball Tournament at Edith Gay Park.
Batchelor pitched seven innings and struck out three batters, while smacking back-to-back dingers, one a grand slam, and adding an RBI-double.
Catcher Eric Foufoulas tossed out runners at second and third. Ryan Gamage was solid at first base earning six outs for game MVP.
Jack Janzen, Ryan Vandesande and Gamage all stroked RBI-singles, while Carter Morris and Brayden Beacom scored with steals. Koll Cherkowski nailed a sweet single to right field to load the bases.
The Canadians clipped Kelowna 9-8 in Sunday’s semifinal with Cherkowski taking MVP with a sixth-inning double which led to Morris singling in Vandesande for the winning run. On defence, Gamage ran down a bunt off the mound and made the play to Batchelor at first for an out in the first inning.
Gamage hit an RBI-single, while Matthew Hansen and Gamage demonstrated heads-up base running to steal home in the second inning.
Foufoulas gunned one runner down at third with Hansen applying the tag. Morris took over pitching duties in the fifth, fanning one. Foufoulas tossed out runners at second and first for outs.
The C’s tied it 8-8 in the fifth with Batchelor bringing in Hansen, and Falcon Thomas knocking one deep to center field for a pair of ribbies.
In preliminary games, Vernon grounded the Prince George Knights 8-4, ambushed Rutland #2 22-6 and stuffed West Kelowna 15-1 with MVP honours going to Beacom, Christopher McIntosh and Batchelor.
Nakoda Parker doubled in Vernon’s first run against Prince George, while Thomas and Cherkowski each doubled as Vernon maxed out with four runs in the sixth. McIntosh, Gamage and Hansen shared the pitching
Batchelor crushed a three-run triple and Thomas knocked an over-the-fench homer in the seventh inning versus Rutland #2. Morris mowed down four batters over four innings.
Batchelor struck out four over four innings, picked off a runner at second and hammered an over-the-fence dinger as Vernon drilled West Kelowna.
