The Okanagan Athletics won three and tied one in a four-team Bantam AAA baseball jamboree hosted by the North Shore Twins last weekend.
The Under 15 A’s, led by Vernon players Chase Batchelor, Zach Orchard and Jaden Parsons, are 25-12-1 on the season.
In Game 1, the A’s shaded the Kent Bull Dogs of Seattle 1-0.
Parsons drew a walk at the plate and was exceptional at second base, robbing a hit away from Kent with runners in scoring position.
Batchelor was 1-for-1 at the dish with a single and ended the game with a running catch in left field with the bases loaded.
The Coquitlam Reds grabbed an early 4-1 lead in Game 2, but the Athletics clawed back to earn a 4-4 tie.
Orchard played a strong left field, recording several nice outs. Parsons rapped a single and made a Gold Glove catch in short right field by racing back from second and diving to make the play.
Batchelor was the extra-hitter again, laying down a sac bunt that led to a run, drawing a walk and stole a base and scored.
The Okanagan crew faced the Twins twice Sunday, holding on for a 7-6 win in the opener.
Batchelor started at second base, making several strong plays resulting in outs, the best when he snagged a line drive to end an inning with runners on second and third.
Batchelor was 2-for-3, crushing two RBI-singles to left and right centre. Orchard also had a big game with a sizzling single, a bunt, two stolen bases, two runs scored and solid play in left field.
The final game of the day saw the Twins race out to a 5-1 lead. The A’s rallied to tie it at 5-5 after four innings and won 6-5 in an extra eighth inning.
Orchard caught the whole game and blasted an RBI-single and scored on his second time on base.
Batchelor came in to pitch in the fifth and held the Twins scoreless through two innings of work. He was named the team’s weekend MVP.
The A’s are in Surrey to face the Whalley 14’s in a four-game set this weekend, then head to Okotoks, Alta. for the Dawgs’ Perfect Game Tournament July 3-5.
The Vernon Bantam AA Canadians opened their summer ball season with 16-8 and 13-5 wins over host Salmon Arm on Father’s Day.
Matthew Hansen singled down the third base line to open the first game, later scoring off a Falcon Thomas single.
Ryan Gamage started on the mound, fanning one in two innings before Ben Fortems pitched the last four innings, striking out seven.
Hayden Lewis and Fortems both scored in the second inning. Vernon kept chipping away in the third with Gamage taking a walk and Lewis, Thomas and Fortems all scoring.
Vernon opened it up in the top of the fourth with five different players scoring. Evan Schmidt singled, followed by another hit from Koll Cherkowski, who finished 4-for-5.
Gamage added a single followed by a monster double to centre field by Thomas. Alex Tonge scored after being hit by a pitch.
Ryan Vandesande, playing up from Pee Wee, produced two singles in the last two innings and scoring twice. Braydie Allen was also 2-for-4.
Highlight of the game was Tonge catching a high foul deep behind the plate, and then gunning the ball to second for the steal attempt out at second for a double play.
In Game 2, Tonge mowed down 10 batters while pitching 4.2 innings.
Thomas was 4-for-4 with another double and came into close the game, fanning two in the final inning. Hansen, Gamage, Fortems and Vandesande were all 3-for-4.
D-Backs sting Canadians
The Vernon Canadians dropped three of four to the West Kelowna D-Backs in B.C. AAA Midget Baseball League play.
The C’s won the opener 7-3 at Mount Boucherie Park.
Tyler Wellman pitched a complete game for the C’s, allowing five hits and struck out a pair of D-Backs (22-13).
Koichio Yano went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles, two runs and a pair of swiped bags. In the back half of the double dip, the D-Backs stung the C’s 11-1.
Kyle Ciurka was roughed up for eight earned runs in 3.1 innings.
Dylan Emmons went 1-for-2 with one double and Noah Foufoulas brought in the Canadians’ (8-25-1) run with a sacrifice fly.
The D-Backs pounced on the C’s 8-5 at Marshall Field.
Emmons struck out nine batters in 4.2 innings, giving up two earned runs, leaving with a no decision.
Garner Chudyk belted a two-run double to left field. Landon Currie went 2-for-4.
The D-Backs clipped the C’s 7-5 in extra innings in Game 2.
Brayden Damini pitched 6.2 innings, not allowing an earned run and struck out six.
Kadyn Thomas scored a pair of runs and picked up a single and a triple.
