Major Bantams Eliminated at 2016 ‘A’ OBA Championships
The Chatham Diamonds Major Bantam squad travelled to Guelph this past weekend for the Bantam ‘A’ OBA Championships but were eliminated at the end of 4 games.
The boys played game one at 10am on Friday matched up against the team from Milton.
Game 1
The boys started off in the top half of the first inning after walks to Josh Noah and Malcolm Campbell, Collin Bond drove Noah in on a single, then Campbel score on a ground ball off the bat of Nolan Lucier giving the Diamonds a 2-0 lead going to the bottom of one. The bottom half of the inning was an eye opener for the boys. First game jitters got the best of the Diamonds defense allowing Milton to score 5 runs and only 1 earned. The Diamonds defense made, a season high, 5 errors in that inning. The next couple innings would find the boys settle in and play the kind of ball that made them successful all season.Milton scored again in the 3rd extending thier lead to 6-2. In the top of the 4th the tables changed and Milton started to boot the ball around alowing the Diamonds to capitalize on it scoring 5 runs and giving them the lead back. The inning started off with Bond getting on after being hit by a pitch, but then getting thrown out at 2nd on a missed hit and run play. Lucier singled, Garret Day reach base on error. Sam Haight singled to right field scoring Lucier and Day. darian Steele dropped a great sac bunt moving Haight into scoring position. Quinn Edwards was hit by a pitch. Boldt came up to bat and blasted a tripple into left field scoring Steele and Edwards. The diamond lead 7-6 going into the bottom of the 4th.Milton answered back scoring 2 in the bottom half of 4 and regaining the lead 8-7.
The Diamonds tied up the game in the top of 6. Haight started the inning off with a double to left field and later scoring, followed by singles of the bats of Edwards and Boldt.
This game would go into extra innings as the teams were tied 8-8 at the end of 7. Boldt scored after hitting a double to left field, sealing 3rd basebase then tagging up on a sac fly off the bat of Campbell. This would give the Diamonds a 9-8 lead to which they held onto for the win.
Josh Noah started on the hill for the Diamonds going 3 1/3 innings. Allowing 6 hits, 7 runs, and walking 4 while striking out 5. Ethan Boulley-Dekker came in relief and gets the win after throwing an impressive 88 pitches over 7 2/3. Boulley-Dekker allowed only 1 run on 2 hits, walking 2 and striking out 4.
Game 2
The Diamonds would take on the Tecumseh Rangers in game 2 Friday afternoon after the 11 inning game one win. Darian steel would start on the hill for the Diamonds taking down the first 3 batters of the game. The diamonds then took a 2-0 lead in the 1st. Noah and Campbell both scored after each hitting singles. Tecumseh answered with one run in the top of 2. Bottom of 2 the Diamonds score again extnding thier lead to 3-1 after a double by Haight, but the diamonds would once again struggle defensivly allowing Tecumseh to take advantage. Tecumseh would score 6 runs on 3 hits in the 4th and another 9 runs in the 5th getting a comanding 16-3 lead. The Diamonds managed to get one more across the plate in the bottom of 5 but not enough to keep playing giving Tecumseh a mercy rule win 16-4. Campbell and Lucier also shared the pitching duties with Steele being charged with the Loss.
Game 3
Saturday morning was a beautiful day for baseball. The Diamonds made their way to the ball park at 9am for a 10 am game start time and they would face the squad from North London. The Diamonds would be the visiting team after loosing the coin toss, but that would prove to be a good thing.
The diamonds scored right out of the gate with the top of the line up all crossing the plate giving the boys a 4 run lead after 1/2 inning. Boldt, Campbell, and Bond all singled while Noah walked. The Diamonds would lose Garret Day in the bottom half of the 1st due to a hip injury and were down tow 9 players.
By the end of 3 innings the Diamonds lead London 6-0. London answered in the 4th scoring 3 runs, but the Diamonds would go on to score 6 more runs; 1 in the fifth, 4 inn the 6th and one more in the 7th. London would only score one more time in the 7th giving the Diamonds a 12-4 win. Bond went 4/4 with 3 RBI’s, Campbell 2/4 with a walk and 2 RBI’s, Boulley-Dekker 3/4 with an RBI and Edwards went 2/4 at bat. Daniel Boldt gets the win going 5 innings striking out just one batter and allowing 4 hits while walking 2. Darian steel closed.
The Diamonds are 2-1 going into game 4 and in this double elimination tournament, must win every game to keep going.
Game 4
Saturday afternoon, the boys were ready to play Innisfil, who were also 2-1 for the tournament. The loser of this game would be eliminated and the winner would move on to play Quinte in the Semi-Finals Saturday night.
Once again the Diamonds were first at bat and came out swinging. Boldt, Noah, Bond and Steele all hitting singles and Campbell and Lucier both crushing doubles scoring 5 runs in the top of the 1st. Innisfil only getting one run in the bottom half of the inning. The Diamonds scored another 6 runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings, but that would be the last runs they get across the plate. Innisfil scored 2 in the 3rd and another 5 runs in the 5th and 6th innings. The Diamonds lead 11-8 heading into the bottom of the 7th. Innisfil rallied, for the second time in this tournament, and walked off the win with 4 runs. the final score was 12-11 for Innisfil and the Diamonds we eliminated for the tournament.Darian Steele started on the mound for the Diamonds and Malcolm Campbell came in to relief.
Although it was a tough loss for the boys, they still walked away with their heads held high as they finished a very successful 2016 season.
Weekend Stats:
Bond – 8/13 with 3 walks, 5 RBI’s
Noah – 6/14 (1 Triple) with 5 walks, 5 RBI’s
Boulley-Dekker – 5/13 with 2 walk, 2 RBI’s
Haight – 5/13 (1 Double) with 2 walks, 2 RBI’s
Boldt – 6/17 (1 Double, 1 Triple) with 1 walk,3 RBI’s
Lucier – 4/14 with 1 walk, 4 RBI’s
Day – 2/8 with 1 RBI
Campbell – 3/15 (1 Double, 1 Sac Fly) with 3 walks,3 RBI’s
Edwards – 3/15
Steele – 2/12 (3 Sac Bunts)
Sharing Pitching duties over the weekend:
Noah, Steele, Campbell, Boldt & Lucier
The Major Bantams finished the season with a 26-11-3 record including tournament play. They won the SPBA/WCBA regular season league play. Won the London Badgers ‘A’ Tournament and the CMBA Major Bantam Tournament. Visit chathamminorbaseball.com for more stories and stats.
