The Trail All Stars improved their record to 3-1 at the B.C. Little League Baseball championship on Tuesday in Nanaimo with a 9-6 victory over Forrest Hills.
Trail plated the winning run in the top of the fifth inning in what is its best start in the provincial championship in recent memory.
After back-to-back singles from Austin Cox and Reilly McKinnon, the All Stars would load the bases on a single from Lucas Miracle then score two runs on an error to the Forrest Hills’ first baseman to go up 7-3.
The All Stars got off to a slow start, with the District 5 team scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. But Trail responded in the second; with McKinnon and T. J. Murdoch on first and second, Miracle stepped up and hit a double to left field, bringing home Trail’s first run. Max Profili then counted Miracle, lining a two-strike pitch out of the infield to make it 3-2.
Trail would take the lead in the third on a two-out rally when Austin Cox smoked a double to centre field scoring Jesse Ihas to tie it. McKinnon would then plate Cox with a single to right to give Trail a 4-3 lead.
Trail added two more in the fourth, when Nate Ingram stroked a single, scoring Mike Zarikoff and Kai Birks. Following the two-run fifth, the All Stars would add another run in the sixth on an Ihas triple and an RBI single from Cox. Forrest Hills score three but Nate Ingram would get the final runner out on a fielder’s choice to give Trail the victory.
Miracle got the win on the mound, pitching five strong innings, and giving up seven hits and four walks while striking out seven. He also contributed mightily offensively going 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI.
Trail faced Little Mountain on Wednesday but the result was unavailable at press time. They play undefeated South Vancouver today at 11 a.m.