The Hytec Canadians celebrated Father’s Day by bouncing the Wayside Broncos 9-8 in Vernon Pee Wee A baseball playoff action at Creekside Park.
Tyson Matthews went 2-for-3 and drove in the winning run while scoring twice. Kohen Molde also went 2-for-3 with a triple and two ribbies for the Canadians. Garrin Best supplied a clutch run-scoring single.
Starter Dylan McGee threw 76 pitches and struck out five while allowing 2 runs in 2 2/3 innings. Nolan Smyth tossed 60 pitches and mowed down six batters while giving up six runs in 3 1/3 innings.
“It’s obvious that when the bullpen is on, the game takes a different shape,” said Hytec coach Hayden Vardon. “The kids won as a team, taking 70 feet at every chance and scoring when given the opportunity. What is not obvious is that the extra effort by one player can make the difference. Tyson drove in what would be the winning run and made the last (F7) out of the game. This was a true defensive win with nine defensive outs. Our boys backed the bullpen and now we move on.”
Veteran coach Ben Louis of Wayside (8-2) put together a great lineup and the pitching was outstanding.
“There is nothing better than playing against a team that is well coached,” said Vardon, assisted by his father, Carl.
The Vardon father and son duo are so stoked about their team’s attitude and moxie.
“It’s a privilege to coach at any level and this team has what it takes to win it all,” said Haydon.
The Canadians (4-6-1) move to another sudden-death game Tuesday night at Creekside Park.
The upstart Five Star Awards Bombers stung the Salmon Arm Green Hornets in extra innings 7-5 in a thrilling Pee Wee A tilt Friday.
Logan Killingbeck led off with a single and later scored on a hit by Connor Jones. Reilly Beer and Jaden McKim also scored off Alyna Huss’ two-run double in the same first inning.
Dynamic defence by the Bombers in the second inning helped keep Salmon Arm off the scoreboard as Haillee Nickel made a brilliant catch in right field and Adam Hansen threw a bullet to Jones at third base to catch a baserunner’s steal attempt.
The Bombers held the 3-0 lead until the fourth when Salmon Arm scored a pair. Killingbeck was stellar pitching the first four innings.
Salmon Arm levelled things 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Huss’ second double in the sixth led to her scoring off off James Helfrick’s single to give the Bombers the lead back.
The Buzz answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take their first lead of the game. Rielly Beer hurled two innings for the Bombers, giving up just three runs.
In the top of the seventh, with two out, Logan Killingbeck walked and swiped second and third. With Salmon Arm one pitch away from winning the game, Jones (nicknamed Mr. Clutch by his teammates) hit a line-drive base hit to centre field to equalize. Adam Hansen came into pitch and shut the door in the bottom of the seventh for the Bombers.
Jaden Mckim led off the eighth with a single, followed by another RBI-single by red-hot Huss, who later scored from third on a wild pitch. Hansen finished Salmon Arm off by only giving up one hit in the eighth
Earlier in the week, the Bombers opened the playoff tournament by dispatching the Pumpro Broncos 17-8.
Broncos’ catcher Chase Hobenshield made a superb throw to pick off Jones at third base to end the first-inning rally. Garrett Louis of the Broncos led off the bottom of the first with a homer deep over the centre field fence.
The Bombers countered in the top of the second by scoring five runs, led by Logan Killingbeck’s grand slam homer deep over the fence. The Bombers busted the game wide open with seven runs in the last inning. Hansen, Jones, Beer and Killingbeck shared the pitching duties, while Mike Huss, Jones and Mckim all went 3-for-4.
Hobenshield reached base in all four of his plate appearances for Pumpro, while Brandon Fisher and Louis reached base three times. The Bombers finished the regular season at 3-7-1 and have now knocked off the second- and third-place finishers in the double-knockout playoff format which has five Vernon Teams and four Salmon Arm entries.
