| Game 27: New Brunswick 10 Newfoundland 3 |
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COLLIN GALLANT This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it New Brunswick’s Selects are looking to crash the pool party. The Maritimers are headed straight into the semifinals at the Baseball Canada Cup after clinching top spot in Pool B Saturday with a 10-3 win over Newfoundland and Labrador at Athletic Park in Medicine Hat. They face Ontario, which won the elite Pool A with a 5-1 record, at 10 a.m. at Athletic Park New Brunswick heads to the medal round playoffs with a 4-1 record in the six-team Pool B. “It’s better than not being in,” smiled head coach Mark Noel, who guided the team to a 4-1 record last year at Quebec City before the fell in the semifinal to eventual champion British Columbia. “We have 14 guys back. We knew that we’d be right there, but every year it changes,” said Noel. “Some teams you beat up on the year before were maybe all first-year guys that year, come back with second-year guys and be really strong.” That’s certainly been New Brunswick’s plan of attack. Veteran shortstop Robert Gallant has been one of the batters at the tournament, going 10-for-19 overall with five doubles. He tripled against Newfoundland on Saturday as part of a 3-for-3 performance that saw him score four runs. “It’s pretty exciting,” said Gallant. “To play for a medal is pretty good and we’ve been playing well all week. “We’ve been playing good defence, don’t make too many errors, and haven’t given teams too many chances to drive guys in.” One big difference on Saturday was the four errors committed by Newfoundland (0-5), which fell behind 5-0 early but made a game of it with a trio of runs in the middle innings. New Brunswick retook control with a four-run sixth and cruised for the win. The Newfoundlanders will face Nova Scotia (2-3) in the ninth-place game on Sunday morning, 9 a.m. at Jeffries Park. “We’re looking for a win,” said Newfoundland’s Jonathan Spracklin. “It’ll be the first win for Newfoundland in a while.” Behind Gallant, second baseman Mike Washburn was 4-for-4 and drove in three runs for New Brunswick, as did first baseman Dan McNeil (1-for-3). Spracklin was 2-for-4 playing in the outfield and also got the final two outs on the Newfoundland mound. New Brunswick seized an early lead on an RBI infield single by Gallant, who later came in to score on a long sac fly from Aaron Noel. Gallant tripled in the fourth as New Brunswick pushed its lead to 6-2. Newfoundland clawed back to within three runs in the fifth as Brad Penny and Daniel Hearn singled off New Brunswick starter Sean Silliphant (six and one-third innings, six hits). Newfoundland starter Noah Anderson took the loss having surrendered six earned runs on 10 hits and six walks. Spracklin moved in from centre-field to pitch the final to two outs of the sixth. At the plate in the seventh, Spracklin walked to put two on against New Brunswick reliever Troy Price. Thanks to a pickoff at third by catcher Matt MacGregor and a game-ending strikeout New Brunswick took the win. Note: New Brunswick plans on sending starter Ben Sallows to the mound today against Ontario in the semifinal, then using pitcher Aaron Noel in either the gold or bronze medal game later in the day. |
