Miramichi Sports: Jr. Ironmen Advance to Final

MIRAMICHI - The Chatham Jr. Ironmen are on their way to the New Brunswick Junior Baseball League final. They downed the defending champion Moncton Cubs 11-1 in six innings Saturday at Ironmen Field to win their best-of-five semi-final series 3-0.

The Ironmen now get some time off while the national champions are held Aug. 18-22 in Windsor, Ont. As the two-time defending league champions, the freshly defeated Cubs will take part in that tournament.

The Cubs actually took the early lead in the top of the second in game 3, after the Ironmen failed to score with the bases load in the bottom of the first. With the Cubs Andre Leblanc on third, Ben Goguen hit hard shot to short but the ball was mishandled allowing LeBlanc to score to make it 1-0 Moncton.

It wouldn't last long.

In the bottom of the inning, Chatham would tie the game 1-1 and with just one out and runners at first and second, the Ironmen would chase Cubs starter Nick LeBlanc, who would be replaced by Luc Vautour. He wouldn't fare much better as he walked Chatham starter Sean Silliphant and then catcher Tyler McKay, walking in a run to make it 2-1, before Robert Gallant would drive in a run to up the lead to 3-1.

It would only get worse from there. First baseman Jeff McCarthy would pop out but allow another run to score. Then with the bases loaded Jimmy Russell would pick up a two run RBI. The total damage would be a 6-1 Ironmen lead on 2 hits and 1 error. The Ironmen would add two more runs in the bottom of the third to go up 8-1 and another in the bottom of the fourth as Curtis Bastarache then took to the mound for Moncton.

He'd give up another run in the top of the fourth to make it 10-1. Then in the bottom of the sixth McKay would drive in Joey Martin for an 11-1 total that ended the game early.

Following the game Chatham Coach Robert Walls said he was pleased with the way his team played.

“it's the same as all year. We kept waiting for that timely hit and finally we started getting it in the playoffs,” he said.

“This series the timely hits where there.”

The Ironmen now wait to start the final series but won't be idle. They hope to play a few games, perhaps against some senior competition, while they wait for the series to begin. One decision that will have to be made is where they will play home games in the final.

Assistant coach Scott McKay pointed out the final begins the same day as Baseball Canada Senior Championships that are held in Miramichi. The primary venue is Ironmen Field, meaning it will be off limits to the Jr. Ironmen. McKay said the team is looking at alternatives including scheduling games at Waldo Henderson Memorial Ballfield in Chatham Head, although that venue is also hosting games for nationals. The other alternative might be Cardinal Field on Beaverbrook Road in Newcastle.

Meanwhile, Game 4 of the other junior semi-final goes Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. in Saint John as the Pirate host the Fredericton Jr. Royals, who lead that series 2-1.