The Trail Major Little League All Stars got off to a tough start at the Little League provincial championship in Kerrisdale on the weekend facing two of the toughest teams right off the bat.
The All Stars opened the tournament on Saturday with a game against last year’s Canadian Little League champion, Hastings, losing 14-2.
Wyatt Schnorr hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to make it 3-0, as the Hastings team pounded out 14 hits on their way to victory. Trail would cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom half of the inning when Brenden Vulcano singled to score Bradley Ross, and scored himself on a Donovan Anderson hit. Hastings added five more in the second to put it out of reach for the Trail team. Vulcano was 2-for-2 in the game.
In the second match, Trail played last year’s provincial runner up in White Rock and would suffer the same fate, as the Rock crushed the All Stars 14-1. Trail took a 1-0 lead thanks to another RBI from Vulcano, yet White Rock would erupt for eight runs in the second inning on their way to victory.
The All Stars are a young team comprised of seven 11-year-old, and three 12-year-old players, and despite the lopsided games, coach D.J. Ashman knew it would be a good experience to play against older kids, and in building for next year.
“We don’t have the numbers like these communities,” said Ashman. “They have all 10-year-old teams, 11-year-old teams, and 12-year-old teams that play against each other. So you’ve got to be a pretty good 11-year-old to make it to the provincials.”
In other games White Rock blasted Dunbar 16-1 Monday, while on Sunday Forest Hills beat Kerrisdale 16-6, and Dunbar nipped Beacon Hill 10-9.
Saturday’s games saw Hastings pummel Kerrisdale 33-3 and Forest Hills got by Dunbar 8-3.
The All Stars played host Kerrisdale Monday evening but scores were unavailable at press time. Trail plays Dunbar today at 3 p.m. and Beacon Hill at noon on Wednesday.
Follow the All Stars at http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/schedule.html?leagueid=1394&seasonid=25791