| Game 23: Alberta 12 Nova Scotia 2 |
|
SCOTT SCHMIDT This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Alberta pitcher Cam Wych flew out of bed Saturday morning with only one thing on his mind. He got the call in the host province’s biggest game of the 2008 Baseball Canada Cup to date, facing one of the nation’s best young arms — Nova Scotia’s Shain Beaudreau. Both clubs entered the game facing medal-round elimination and needed their best performance of the week, but — with the odds against him — it was Wych who wound up stealing the show. In the end the score wasn’t even close as Alberta kept its medal hopes intact with a six-inning mercy rule 12-2 whitewash of their Atlantic opponent in the day’s first game at Athletic Park. Alberta clinched second place in Pool B and got set to face Québec (third place in Pool A) later in the day. “I was so happy to play, I finally got my chance to pitch,” said a grinning Wych after the game. “I was scheduled for the semis, but oh well, we needed this game. “Our team is jacked, we’re ready to go.” Beaudreau began his second outing of the tourney the way he starts a lot of games — two swinging strikeouts and a first-pitch, routine ground ball. Wych was shaky. After walking the leadoff hitter, a ground ball ricocheted off Wych’s glove and over to shortstop Mitch Frey, whose hurried throw found its way into the dugout. Nova Scotia shortstop Matt Doudelet came all the way around to score on the play. Nova Scotia made it 2-0 and threatened for more, but Jake Pelham was gunned down at home from a perfect throw from centre-fielder Adam Nelubowich to end the inning. Wych completely took over from there. In the bottom of the second inning, Wych struck out the side in order — the last of which was followed by a very long, passionate fist pump. What was most impressive was all three batters watched sweeping curveballs drop over the plate for the third strike while the bat rested comfortably on their shoulders. “I think it lucked out for us going in the B pool this year,” said Wych, who finished with nine strikeouts in six innings. “The team that we have, we have good defence, good sticking, good pitching and just blowing through the guys.” Beaudreau gave up his first earned run at this tournament in more than two years during Alberta’s second at-bat. A leadoff walk to Medicine Hat’s own Joel Lutz came back to bite him when a double moved him to third and he was sent home on a ground ball. Lutz continued to find his way on base — as he’s done all week — going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks. “We kind of came out and had a little bit of trouble in the first inning,” said Lutz. “But just look at the scoreboard, we put up zeroes for the rest of the game and our offence just came through.” The game was put out of reach after a seven-run outburst in the sixth inning — though one could argue Wych only needed a run one lead. |
