The Trail Eagles scored five runs in the first inning on their way to a 9-5 victory over the Nelson Giants on Sunday to capture the Beaver Valley May Days Little League tournament title.
With just three return players from last year's squad the Eagles were a long shot in winning the annual tournament this year. A pair of strong Nelson teams, a tough Castlegar squad, the defending champion B.V. Yankees and the Trail Eagles and Legion rounded out a field that was one of the strongest and most even in recent years.
After dropping a game in the round robin, the Eagles battled back to take the semi-final match before nailing down the victory in the final. Solid pitching and timely hitting were the keys for the Eagles, said coach D. J Ashman, but an unassisted triple play by first baseman Jackson Fance in the bottom of the third, was the turning point as it killed a Nelson rally and prevented the Giants from getting back into the game.
The Giants scored two in the bottom of six, but Trail's Kai Birks would come in and end the threat in relief for the Eagles.
See more in Tuesday's Trail Times.