Jul 29, 2007 | Dan Thompson | 967 views
Terriers Cap Summer With Third Tournament Championship
The Terriers completed their summer schedule with another championship, dethroning last year’s champs, les Ailes du Quebec, with a 3-1 victory at the Seniors Send-Off Tournament in Welland.
This time around it was reliable right hander Billy Martin's turn to take the team on his back, with a spectacular complete game three hitter. Billy had 8 strike outs and forced the Quebec hitters into several soft outs.
His 86mph fast ball mixed with an excellent curve and changeup was too much for the Quebec hitters to handle. Billy has lost only one game in two years with the Terriers.
The Terriers advanced to the final game with a nail biter, 4-1 win over the Canadian Thunderbirds on Saturday. The game was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning when starter Evan Kipfer, who had pitched 6 excellent innings, gave way to Senior closer Brian Burton with runners on first and second and one out. Burton walked the first T-Bird batter he faced to load the bases. The next batter worked a full count, but Burton got him to pop the 3-2 pitch up to second baseman Marty Chasles for the second out of the inning. On yet another full count to the hitter that followed, Brian blew a called strike three fast ball by him and the Terriers got out of the inning unscathed. On that momentum, Burton led the top of the seventh off with a towering double to the right center field gap. Burton eventually scored after a walk to Jeff Skehorne-Gross and a Matt Loughridge single. Matt later scored on a perfectly executed squeeze by Marty Chasles. Rookies Joel Stubbs (3b) and Nathan Loehle (CF) helped keep the game close till the seventh with several sparkling defensive plays.
Sunday was the second time this summer that Les Ailes (the Quebec provincial select team) and the Terriers faced each other in a final game. The Terriers were victorious Canada Day weekend at the Toronto Elite Tournament with a 2-1 win. Today the Terriers first run was scored by Jeff Hunt on a Matt Loughridge RBI in the second inning. Marty Chasles scored later that inning on an error by the Quebec first baseman. Chad Marshall, who had singled and stole second, eventually scored the third Terrier run on a balk by the Quebec left hander.
Congratulations to the Senior Terriers who have now played their last game in the blue and gold. In mid August, Brian Burton, Jeff Skelhorne-Gross and Chad Marshall are off to the NCAA to start their college careers. Officially now Terriers alumni they are joined by Seniors Terrell Alliman who was drafted in June by the California Angels and Mike Henry who begins his pro career in the Cincinnati Reds instructional league this fall in Florida.
Overall the season was marked with many individual and team accomplishments. From winning 5 games on the March Break trip in Florida over US Colleges, to a .710 league winning percentage, a 3 and 1 record at the Sandlott WS, to 3 summer tournament championships, the Terriers winning tradition continues. The team has won 118 games over the past 2 years.
Four Terriers (Jeff Hunt, Brent Mitchell, Brad Furdal and Nathan Linseman) will represent Ontario at the 17u Canada Cup National Championship in Quebec City in a couple of weeks. They are joined by Terriers coaches Derek Rothwell and Dan Thompson. Ontario will be looking for their 3rd consecutive gold medal. Further, after the Canada Cup, Furdal, Mitchell and Hunt will join Team Canada in Joplin MO. for a world qualifier event. There have been 11 Terriers participate in Baseball Canada Junior National team events over the past two years.
On the heels of the successes of the 18u program has had, the Terriers 16u team will launch in early September. Tryouts are August 21st and 22nd at Riverside Park in Cambridge. Fall trips to the US are planned for both teams