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Hastings undefeated going into final day

Trail Orioles faces Dunbar tonight in last game of round robin.


The Hastings All Stars went a perfect 4-0 at the B.C. Little League championships on Tuesday at Andy Bilesky Park, with a dominating four-inning victory over Beacon Hill.

The District 6 team has outscored opponents 59-17 in four games including a 20-2 drubbing of Beacon Hill on Tuesday.

“The first three games were pretty competitive,” said Hastings manager Rob Buljevic. “The kids are playing well, a little bit of a slow start at the beginning of the innings but they’ve turned it around.”

The team is fundamentally sound and deep throughout, with a healthy proportion of left-handed batters providing much of the damage through the four games.

It started with Nicola Barba, 2-for-4, who knocked in four runs including a two-run double in the first inning that scored two and set the tone for the remainder of the game as Hastings jumped out to a 4-0  lead.

“We have like six or seven left-handed batters so I try to mix it up, and not go too many left-handed batters in a row, but it does help.”

Beacon Hill would reply with two in the bottom half of the opening inning after Spencer McGhie blasted a triple to the fence. However, a nine-run explosion in the top of the second would seal it for Hastings with another lefty Lachlan Holbrook providing the fireworks after hitting a double to score two, followed by a triple by Stefano Dal Sasso that also plated two runs.

When the dust settled it was 13-2 after the second inning, and Hastings bullpen and defence would take over and shut out Beacon Hill the rest of the way.

It was reminiscent of the Hastings Major All Stars that won the B.C. Little League Championship in Trail two years ago, something Buljevic remembers well as his son was a major contributor and would like nothing more than see his younger son Luka duplicate the win.

“I would like to duplicate it, because you know that was a special time for me because my older son was on that team, so we have special memories here,” said Buljevic. “It was a great week, and great hospitality. It was a great tournament and that was the second step for the kids to get to Williamsport. It was a great time and great memories.”

Dal Sasso went 3-for-3 in the game with three RBIs, while Holbrook was 2-for-3.

In other Little League action, White Rock downed Trail in the Monday night game 11-1, and beat Dunbar by the same score on Tuesday.  White Rock sits in second place at 3-1 and will play Beacon Hill today at 10:30 a.m. while Hastings faces Highlands at 2 p.m.

Trail, at 1-2, played what might be a must-win game against, 2-1, Highlands on Tuesday night but scores were unavailable at press time. Trail finishes the round robin with a game against, 0-3, Dunbar at 5:30 p.m..



Jim Bailey

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