It has been a bleak B.C. Little League championship for the Trail Little League All Stars, but despite suffering two more losses the team is looking on the bright side.
Trail lost to Dunbar 9-5 on Tuesday evening and were shut out by Beacon Hill 6-0 Wednesday, however coach D.J. Ashman knew from the start it wasn’t going to be easy for the young team.
“Our youth is basically showing up,” says Ashman. “Our hits aren’t as strong as these other teams, because they have all these older kids. But our defence played a lot better today, and we pitched a lot better today . . . so overall I am pretty happy.”
Beacon Hill chipped away at the All Stars scoring two in the first and two in the second, before adding singles in the third and fifth innings.
The Hill limited the All Stars to just four hits, while Brendan Vulcano went the distance for Trail giving up six runs on eight hits, two walks and a strikeout.
Vulcano continues to rip the ball, however, going 2-for-3 in the game and raising his average to .538.
Against Dunbar the team fell into a 5-0 hole early. Trail rallied for three runs in the fifth to make it 7-5 but the District one team would reply by scoring two more in the bottom of the fifth to seal it.
Bradley Ross had a good game at the plate going 3-for-4 while smashing out two doubles.
The team has kept a good attitude throughout says, Ashman, and is treating it as a valuable experience in preparation for next year.
“Everybody knows it’s going to be tough, and nobody’s expecting us to do anything, but everybody is commenting on our team being a little bit scrappy and that they’re into the game.”
In other matches Tuesday White Rock rolled over Beacon Hill 13-2, while Hastings shut out Forest Hills 4-0.
The All Stars play Forest Hills in its final game of the provincial tournament today at noon.