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British Columbia Insider: 2018 Victoria Day Weekend Tournament

Richmond City Baseball hosted its annual Victoria day weekend bantam AAA(15u) tournament this past weekend in Richmond BC. 12 teams from BC and Alberta competed for the annual title. There were a number of high caliber teams that included the West Coast Cardinals and Delta Tigers who are 1 and 2 respectively in Bantam AAA league standings and top 5 bantam AAA squad from Cowichan Valley the Mustangs. The North Shore Twins bantam prep team loaded with young talent was there all weekend as well. This event also attracted strong squads from Alberta the Parkland Twins, Okotoks Dawgs red and Sherwood park Athletics. Game action started Thursday and continued throughout the May long weekend finishing up on Monday the 21st.

Game Recaps From Saturday and Monday...

WestCoast vs Sherwood Park

West Coast was coming off a big loss Thursday to the NS twins and needed a big effort in this one to beat a strong Sherwood park squad. WC got on the board early behind rbi base hits by Hendricks and Suzuki.

Pitching was good enough and a little lucky at times as Sherwood park stung a few but directly at fielders. Having to not allow anymore runs up 4-1 in the 6th and Sherwood park threatening WC went to their ace Cody Hendricks to throw the last 4 outs.

Hendriks a 6’0 RHP has topped out at 80mph at our BC open ID in the April. Today Hendriks was on with his high-¾ arm slot sitting 77-78mph consistently with the FB and hitting 79. Showed great feel with his CB 64-65mph with late break on his 12-6. WC was able to tac on a few in the 7th and held on to take this one 7-1.

Cowichan Valley vs Chilliwack

Cowichan is known for a power team and they showed it in this game knocking the ball all over and out of the park against Chilliwack winning 13-2.

SP for Cowichan was RHP James Joyce. Joyce a dual guy on the bump today was consistently 73-75mph on the FB showing very good command and elevating when need be. His CB was sitting in the 63-64mph range and he showed confidence in throwing it in all counts.

Joyce was also strong at the plate hitting two doubles to the LF field knocking in 4. Cowichans power display was capped off by a 3run HR in the 6th by infielder Nathan Teimer.

Semifinal (Monday) Northshore vs WestCoast

Northshore and Westcoast both came out with top end arms in this one and as expected, it was a pitchers dual.

Northshore SP was young LHP Ryan Engel who stands 6’2 and uses his size well creating great downward angle on his pitches. His FB was 73-74 mph T 75 mph with late two seem action, the CB was in the 66-68 mph range with a big late 12/6 break and his CH 69-71 mph.

Ryan got into the 5th showing great mound presence all day working both sides of the plate giving up only 1 run.

Westcoast started their top arm Max Yuen. Max is a 5’7 RHP with a FB 75-76 mph T 78mph and a CB 67-68 mph with great feel for it in any count. Max showed dominant stuff all day and when needed his defense was able to turn a couple double plays to get him out of jams. Max threw up to his pitch count striking out the 2nd out in the 7th which got him almost a CG going 6 ⅔. Suzuki came in to record the final out for WC getting twin Dalla Zanna to lineout to the CF.

*Cowichan Valley defeated Parkland in the other semi 4-1.

Final…

WestCoast Cardinals vs Cowichan Valley Mustangs

CV started Joyce once again and WC went with RHP Alex Duncan-Wu. Both pitchers were on early with a clean first couple of innings.

Joyce showing good FB command once again and Duncan-Wu showing he wasn't afraid to use his CB often.

In the 3rd WC jumped out in front thanks to Duncan-Wu helping his own cause with a long run scoring triple to left center and then later scoring on a passed ball to put WC up 2-0 heading into the bottom half. A leadoff triple by Joyce for CV allowed him to score on a productive sac fly later in the inning.

In the bottom of the 5th, at a 2-2 tie, Cowichan Valley was threatening with the bases loaded. WC went to LHP Takai Suzuki and was able to get the two out flyball to RF to end the threat.

Suzuki is a deceptive lefty with a FB 74-75 mph and CB 63-64 mph, he hides the ball well coming from a low ¾ slot.

Cowichan was unable to put much together after that and Westcoast took advantage of their tired arms exploding for 11 runs over the final two innings. Westcoast takes another tournament victory in 2018 with a final score of 13-2.

Of note SS Cody Hendriks had a 4-5 day at the dish with two doubles and 5 rbis.