It took a while, but the Chayee Bourras Selects, representing Newfoundland and Labrador, improved to 3-1 Wednesday at the 2018 Canadian under-19 men’s fastpitch championship in Napanee, Ont., blanking the Belmore, Ont., Sting 2-0.
It was the second game of the day for the Newfoundlanders, who had defeated British Columbia 10-4 in a morning contest.
Against Belmore, pitcher Lucas Reid allowed just two hits in matchup that endured a more than three-hour rain delay that began with the Ontario team at bat with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Noah Dinn had three hits for the Selects.
Against B.C., Joel Nash and Jordan Hamilton each drove in two runs for Newfoundland. Dinn, Nash and Jordan Pomeroy all scored twice.
Marcus Pittman (5H, 6K) went the distance on the mound for the Selects.
The 12-team tournament opened Tuesday, with N.L. downing Chepstow, Ont. 9-7 , then losing 7-4 to the Colchester, N.S. Royals.
Today, Newfoundland faces two Saskatchewan entries, the Desilse Pride and Prince Albert Astros.
The U19 championship is one of three national fastpitch tourneys being played this week and featuring N.L. teams.
The Canadian senior women’s championship began Wednesday in Saskatoon, where the Three Cheers Pub Impact lost 8-0 to Manitoba and 6-4 to Carnduff, Sask.
Jill Connolly drove in two runs for the N.L. side in the loss to Carnduff, while Brittany McCarthy had a couple of hits.
Jenna Connolly, who scored a run and drove in another, was the losing pitcher.
Jill Connolly had the only hits — a triple — against Manitoba.
Calista Corbett was the pitcher of record for the Impact.
Newfoundland has one game today, against the Calahoo Erins of Alberta. The Impact will be much busier Friday, when they play three times.
The third tournament is the girls U14 nationals in Montreal, where no less than 26 teams are participating, including the Newfoundland Selects, who lost 15-0 to the Fraser Valley Fusion of B.C., in their Wednesday opener.
The U14 Selects have two games today, against Lucan-Ilderton, Ont., and Prince Albert, Sask.
