Bantam Selects win provincial crown

The Soo Elks 341 Bantam Selects used a powerful offensive display to cruise to an Ontario Baseball Association Bantam A Championship on Sunday afternoon at Sinclair Yards.

Only once in four games were the Bantam Selects held to single digits on the scoreboard. In total, the Elks scored 47 runs offensively despite scoring only three runs in one contest on Saturday.

Clinging to a lead 5-3 lead in Sunday's final, the Elks belted home seven late inning runs in cruising to a 12-3 win over the Ajax Spartans, who entered the tournament as two-time defending provincial champion.

Across the field, the Soo Sports Mosquito Selects came within a run but fell 8-7 in the OBA Mosquito A championship game to the Ajax Spartans on Sunday morning.

In the bantam final, Ajax grabbed a quick 1-0 first inning lead before the Elks went ahead to stay with a two run second inning. Elks starting pitcher Tyler Binkley stifled the Ajax offense through his four innings of work.

The Elks sealed the win in the bottom of the fourth inning as Reid Raslack drove home the eventual winning run with a hit into left centre field that made it through a diving Ajax centre fielder. The miscue allowed two runs to score and Raslack to advance to third base.

In earlier action, the Elks opened the double elimination tournament with a punishing 22-3 win over Brantford on Friday before nipping Ajax 3-2 on Saturday. The Selects advanced to the final with a 10-4 win over Orillia on Sunday morning.

The win marks the first OBA provincial crown for the Bantam Selects since 2000. Previously, the Selects won titles in 1994 and 1984 while coming up finalists on three other occasions since 1976.

Members of the winning team are Tyler Binkley, Anthony Bumbaco, Reid Raslack, Ryan Gaines, Kyle Diotte, Kyle Leonard, J.J. Bergamin, Wyatt Curry, Kyle Sayers, John Nolan, Jamie Weldon and Joey Lesage. Staff members include head coach Mike LaLonde with assistants Warren Sayers and Ray Raslack.

In the mosquito championship, Ajax knocked off the defending champion Soo Sports Mosquito Selects with a big seven run inning.

Trailing 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, Ajax pushed seven runs across the plate to take an 8-5 lead. Soo Sports could never recover but did attempt a late game rally in the seventh inning.

The Selects loaded the bases with one out but a line drive to the short stop and a subsequent throw to first base to double off the runner leading off ended the Soo Sports rally.

"What it came down to what that one bad inning we had but our kids played their hearts out. I don't know how much better they could have played," said Selects head coach Tyler Hankinson.

"We played two tough game against these guys and we beat them by a run (Saturday) and they got us back today. We also played them down in London earlier this year and that game was just as tight as these two were here."

Soo Sports entered the final with 3-0 record. On Saturday, the Selects beat Sudbury 11-1, Ajax 10-9 and Aurora 17-7.

Members of the provincial finalist Soo Sports Mosquito Selects include D.J. Carter, Ben Elliott, Shawn Creedon, Corey Jackson, Jarrett Krancevich, Chris Buonomo, Scott Thornton, Brett Findlay, Austin Reed, Lucas Watson and Alex Morrison. Staff members include head coach Tyler Hankinson and assistants Jason Rooley, Ryan Malloy and Jason Thorburn.

*** PHOTO: Anthony Bumbaco takes a swing during Sunday's bantam final.