A top-four finish and a coveted double life in the playoffs is within reach of the host P.E.I. Gahan House Bud Light Fawcetts through three days at the 2010 Canadian senior men’s fast pitch championship in Charlottetown.
The Fawcetts won twice Tuesday to up their record to 4-2 and sit in a tie for third place in the 10-team tournament with two days to go in the round robin.
They downed Blackburn Transport of Halifax 4-1 in an afternoon contest, then rallied with six runs in the sixth inning to defeat West Side Charlies of Newfoundland and Labrador 7-3 in the nightcap in front of more than 1,000 fans at the Central Field complex.
“Today was huge,” said Fawcetts outfielder Jeff Ellsworth. “Getting that second win of the day was big. Offensively and defensively, we’re starting to put it all together.”
Today, the Fawcetts tackle Team Quebec at 11 a.m., followed by a 6:30 p.m. matchup against the Brookfield Elks of Nova Scotia.
FAWCETTS 7 WEST SIDE CHARLIES 3
Third baseman Chris Craig continues to make his case for a spot on the tournament’s all-Canadian team. His one-out, three-run blast on a 1-2 pitch over the right-field fence chased West Side Charlies starter Sean Cleary and put the home side ahead to stay. Craig is batting a sparkling .389 through six games.
“I was just trying to keep the hands back and hit whatever he threw at me,” said Craig. “I was lucky enough that he threw a pitch over the middle of the plate and I was able to make some contact.”
Kevin Schellenberg had a two-run shot and Kelly Wenstrom an RBI-single in the sixth. Cleary had held the Fawcetts in check through five on just three hits, but the Island side is proving it can score in bunches.
“This is the deepest team we’ve ever had,” said Craig. “We’ve got lots of bats off the bench and the clutch players to do this this year, so we’re hoping for good things.”
Ellsworth, still on the mend from a groin injury suffered during the International Softball Congress tournament earlier this month, played defence for the first time this week last night. He was tested early on a deep fly ball for the game’s first out.
“I wanted to try it out tonight, and if it would’ve got sore, I would’ve come out,” said Ellsworth. “It felt fine on that first fly ball and I should be good to go the rest of the week.”
Today was huge. Getting that second win of the day was big. Offensively and defensively, we’re starting to put it all together. - Fawcetts outfielder Jeff Ellsworth
Ellsworth’s solo homer in the fourth inning put the Fawcetts on the scoreboard.
Trevor Ethier went the distance to get the win on the mound, surrendering five hits while striking out three.
West Side Charlies did all its scoring in the first inning on RBI-singles from Glenn Ormsby and Mike Noftall, and an RBI-groundout by Mark Lewis.
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FAWCETTS 4 HALIFAX 1
The hosts spotted the Nova Scotia squad a first-inning lead, then sent 10 men to the plate in the second and scored all four of their runs.
Schellenberg doubled and singled and drove in a run. Jamie MacDonald added a pair of singles and an RBI, and Craig singled twice. Ethier and Steven Larter contributed RBI-singles. Mike Bishop was solid in his first start of the tournament for the winners, scattering four hits and fanning three.
Pat Slaunwhite took the loss with relief help from Adam Rodgers. Trevor Lowthers came in to count on Tim Norris’s sacrifice fly for Halifax's run.
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Standings After Day 3:
Kitchener, Ont. - 5-0
Three Cheers Pub, N.L. - 4-1
P.E.I. Fawcetts - 4-2
West Side Charlies, N.L. - 4-2
Brookfield, N.S. - 2-3
Owen Sound, Ont. - 2-3
Halifax - 2-4
Fredericton - 1-4
Glace Bay, N.S. - 1-4
Quebec - 1-4
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Today’s Games:
Diamond 1
Quebec vs. Gahan House Bud Light Fawcetts, 11 a.m.
Brookfield, N.S. vs. West Side Charlies, N.L., 1 p.m.
Owen Sound, Ont. vs. Glace Bay, N.S., 3 p.m.
Brookfield, N.S. vs. Gahan House Bud Light Fawcetts, 6:30 p.m.
Owen Sound, Ont. vs. Quebec, 8:30 p.m.
Diamond 2
Halifax vs. Fredericton, 10 a.m.
Kitchener, Ont. vs. Glace Bay, N.S., noon
Three Cheers Pub/Bud Light, N.L. vs. Fredericton, 2 p.m.
Kitchener, Ont. vs. Halifax, 5 p.m.
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Tournament Website:
www.seniormensfastballcharlottetownpei.com.
if they were any good they would be playing hardball with Islanders in the Senior league.