It took 10 innings but eventually Unity emerged the victor in game 5 of the 2013 Senior A2 Baseball Provincial Championship Tournament. The win moved Unity into Sunday’s final, while the Carnduff Astros only had a short rest before playing the Bruno Bisons to determine who else would be in the final.
Keith Heitt slides towards home plate to score for the Unity Cardinals. Carnduff Astros’ Devon Carriere did get the ball right after this photo was taken, and made the tag but not in time.
The Unity Cardinals were trailing 3-2 at the end of the fifth. Whether it was struggling pitchers or hot batters, the sixth inning saw both teams have their entire rotation up to bat. The Astros scored four and Unity five, to end the sixth inning tied at 8-all.
Tightening down defensively, each team only saw four at bats in the seventh inning, with no runs scored by either team, leaving the game tied at 8-8 and going into extra innings.
Cardinal Justin D’Entremont scored early on an RBI by Taylor Heck (who went to the pitcher’s mound in inning six and stayed there for the rest of the game). Then, with two out and the bases loaded, the hometown crowd was hopeful for a bigger lead but Mark Ralston’s hit to centre field was caught by the Astros’ Danny Pool, ending the top of the eighth.
Devon Carriere, first up for Carnduff, got on base and with some aggressive baserunning, stole his way to third. He was able to score on an RBI by Danny Pool, tying the game once again. Danny didn’t get on base and with two out, Jason Boyes hit a foulball caught by Unity first baseman Mark Ralston to end the first extra inning.
Taylor Heck closed the game for the Unity Cardinals, pitching four and a half (approx.)innings, including the three extra innings.
Neither team was able to score in the ninth inning, both teams seeing “three up, three down.”
With Carnduff’s pitchers tiring, Unity was able to score four runs (Justin D’Entremont, Taylor Heck, Ben Gieni and Mark Ralston) in the 10th inning, but Carnduff still had last bat advantage.
Danny Pool had another RBI early in the bottom of the 10th, bringing home Adam Wilson. Danny’s hit was caught by Cardinal centre fielder Ryan Greenwald, making it two out but Carnduff still had two other runners on base. Jason Boyes was next up to bat and hit a single, bringing home Devon Carriere. The tying run was now on base but Carnduff’s last batter, Justin Crockatt left the runners stranded, ending the inning and the game at 13-11 for Unity.
Unity’s Cory Wildeman was game MVP.
Throughout the game, the sun made catching balls in field a little challenging at times, although Carnduff seemed to struggle with it more than Unity.
