Waterford Valley, C.B.S. Storm are winners as St. John's intermediate fastpitch playoffs begin

Jordan Noftall struck out 10 in a complete-game pitching performance and Jeremy Hickey drove in two runs, leading Sportscraft Waterford Valley to a 6-4 win over the Conception Bay Central Canadians Tuesday night as Molson St. John’s intermediate fastpitch playoffs got underway at Lions Park.

It was the opening game of a best-of-three play-in series between Waterford Valley and C.B.C., the fourth and fifth seeds heading into the postseason. The eventual winner will take on league-leading Lafontaine Club of Placentia in the semifinal round.

The other best-of-three semifinal, between the Conception Bay South Storm and defending champion Roebothan McKay Marshall Republic, began Tuesday with the Storm lambasting the Republic 18-5.

In Sportscraft’s victory, Noftall allowed seven hits and four walks in getting the decision over the Junior Canadians’ Eric Healey (6H, 1W, 13K).

Gerald Wall reached base four times (2H, 2W) and scored three of C.B.C.’s four runs. Patrick O’Leary had two RBIs for the Junior Canadians.

In the Storm’s decisive win, Tyler McDonald drove had a three-run homer for C,B.S. and drove in five runs altogether. Ryan Maher, Mark Stack and Logan Power each had three RBIs for the winners.

Stack went four-for-four while Maher was three-for-three.

Power (5H, 3W, 1K) got the win, pitching all four innings in a game abbreviated by implementation of the mercy rule.

Republic starter Matt Power took the loss. Andrew Temple scored two runs for RMM.

Both series are set to resume tonight, with the Republic and Storm tangling at 6 p.m., followed by Waterford Valley and C.B.C. at 8 p.m.

[email protected]

Twitter@telysports