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BC Little League Championships: Whalley win sends Trail into playoffs

Despite a loss to Little Mt. on Tuesday, Whalley’s win over New West guarantees Trail a playoff spot.
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Whalley did the Trail All Stars a favour on Wednesday by beating New Westminster soundly at the BC Little League Championship at Andy Bilesky Park in Trail.

The District 3 team crushed New West 16-0 bringing the game to a decisive finish when Joey Marino hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning to end it. The win puts Whalley at 4-1, tied with Lynn Valley for first place, but the victory also ensures Trail, who lost to Little Mountain on Tuesday, a spot in Friday’s playoffs.

In Tuesday’s evening match, Little Mountain broke out of an 0-and-3 slump with conviction, as the District 1 team rolled to a 10-0 victory over Trail thanks to an 85-pitch performance from Ryan Kennedy.

Little Mountain has come oh so close, but lost by a single run to both Lynn Valley, 3-2, and Whalley, 7-6, in its previous two games, following a tough opening loss to New West.

After a scoreless two innings, Little Mountain exploded for five runs in the third, highlighted by a two out, two run triple from Jackson Boomer, who jumped on the first pitch and drove it deep to centerfield to score two and slide into third for a 5-0 lead.

Little Mountain made it 6-0 in the fifth, and scored four more in the top of six for the 10-0 win.

Trail’s Achilles’ heel came back to haunt them just as it did against Whalley in a 10-0 loss on Sunday. Their inability to make contact at the plate and manufacture runs when down is something the team will have to overcome when it faces either Whalley or Lynn Valley in Friday’s playoffs.

The All Stars caught a glimpse of a potential playoff game on Wednesday night when they played Lynn Valley. With both teams guaranteed playoff spots, neither are likely to put their top arms on the mound, and will likely rest some of their starters.

Trail coach Mike Boisvert said the team’s game plan for the final game of the round robin will change, as the focus is all on Friday’s match.

Undefeated Lynn Valley beat New West 11-7 on Tuesday afternoon to go to 4-0, and Whalley beat Beacon Hill in the early match 6-2.

Little Mountain play New Westminster Wednesday afternoon, and Trail faces Lynn Valley in the evening tilt to wrap up the round-robin portion of the tournament.

Thursday is a day off and Friday’s playoffs go at 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.

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Whalley pitcher Ian Huang threw three perfect innings before being relieved in the shut out victory.
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Jim Bailey

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