Canucks U18 A Advance To Final With Commanding Victory
With their backs to the wall the Moose Jaw Canucks U18 A team needed a big win against the visiting Regina Athletics and their bats responded.
The Canucks were able to engineer a five inning 18 - 5 mercy rule victory over the visiting Athletics on Friday evening.
It was a game that saw the Canucks come out charging in the bottom of the first inning and never looking back.
Adam Singh dives back safely to third base as the Athletics’ third baseman jumps over him pursuing the ball - MJ Independent photo
The first inning saw the Athletics get on the scoreboard first with a single run.
The Canucks came out with an eight run first inning.
The Canucks were able to chop out a series of hits and force the Athletics to commit two throwing errors. The errors allowed the Canucks to advance on the bases.
The top of the second inning saw the Canucks able to blank the Athletics as Regina stranded a base runner in scoring position.
A confident Canucks team came back with five more runs as they capitalized on a third bad throw by the Athletics in the game.
A resurgence seemed possible for the Athletics in their half of the third inning as they scored two runs and had a third base runner in scoring position.
Kaden Gerbrandt makes it safely to third base - MJ Independent photo
A strong pitching display from Ethan Volk threw two strikeouts to get the Canucks out of any problems.
The Canucks would score with two runs of their own making the score Moose Jaw 15 and Weyburn 3.
The fourth inning saw the Athletics make a pitching change.
Despite the change the Canucks were able to score three runs to make the score 18 - 3.
One of the runs came after the Canucks got at the Athletics’ reliever and loaded the bases.
The next batter was walked in for a run.
The Athletics weren’t ready to give up and they scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning to make the final score 18 - 5.
Ethan Volk had a big day on the mound going the distance - MJ Independent photo
“It felt amazing. I came here today wanting to win. Wanting to pitch good and that’s what I did,” Canucks starter Ethan Volk said.
Asked if he was surprised he would go the distance Volk said he wasn’t.
“I knew going into this game with the pitch count I had I knew I was going to go deep,” he said, adding “and especially with my coach saying ‘one more batter’ that really got me fired up to end this game.”
Volk had a great day on the mound recording over ten strikeouts.
On offence Volk’s game - despite being picked off at first base - was likely his best performance of the season.
“I’m absolutely amazed with my effort today.”
About the Canucks performance he said “I’m astounded and pleased with how well they played. There was really great defence all around the field and amazing catching.”
Dominic Harvey (left) runs into third base as head coach Ethan La Rose waves him off from going for home - MJ Independent photo
“They came ready for revenge today,” head coach Ethan La Rose said about the play of the Canucks.
“We’ve played these guys before. They’re a tough team. They’re a good team but they (the Canucks) came into with a good mentality and going out to kill from the start. That was our motto for this game - attack.”
Asked about the Canucks effort - which had been seemingly dropping off in the past games - La Rose stated “I’m very happy with the effort. Our starting pitcher he closed the game out. He was lights out all game.”
He said it was a total team effort.
“I trusted our defence going into this. Our offence is always so very good. I had full trust in everybody today. They followed the game plan and it paid off for them.”
La Rose said the key to winning the game was the team’s mentality.
“I told them at the start of the game they came in Wednesday kind of lazy and they were not necessarily dialed into the game,” he said, adding “today they came focused and ready to play.”
Kaden Gerbrandt chopped a single that confused the Athletics - MJ Independent photo
The game plan was one of forcing errors by Regina.
The game plan wasn’t for massive multi-base hits but rather just to get singles and get on base.
“You know hit the ball get on base, run the bases, get them flustered and force some errors. That’s baseball,”
He said the team can beat Weyburn.
“These kids are awesome. They’re all so happy and jovial all the time. It’s never been a skill issue…it’s always been a confidence issue.”
“So they need to find that confidence and match it up with their skills,” he said.
Nick Bechard gets ready to tag a Regina Athletics player who successfully stole second base - MJ Independent photo
The Canucks next playoff matchup will be against the Weyburn Warhawks.
In their last meeting the Warhawks won 14 - 2 in a five inning mercy rule ending.
With the Warhawks undefeated in the playoffs the Canucks must win two consecutive games against Weyburn.
The Canucks have so far lost one game in the two games and your out playoffs. So a loss by the Canucks would end their league championship playoff run.
The game or games will be played in Weyburn with the dates and times yet to be announced.