STRATFORD, P.E.I. — The Alley Stratford Athletics are one victory away from winning the Kings County Baseball League championship.
The host Athletics capitalized on their chances early Wednesday in Game 5 of the best-of-seven final, building a 4-0 lead and holding on for a 4-3 victory over the Morell Chevies.
The A’s lead the series 3-2 and can clinch the title Sunday in Morell. First pitch of Game 6 is scheduled to be thrown at 6:30 p.m.
Brady Arsenault went five innings for the win Wednesday at MacNeill Field in Stratford.
He pitched out of trouble in the top of the first inning when he caught a Logan Gallant line drive with runners on first and second and no out. He turned and threw to second for the double play and struck the next batter out.
Taylor Larkin took the loss for the Chevies with relief from Gallant, who went 4 1/3 innings.
Larkin had command issues early as Stratford scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning on one hit, four walks and a wild pitch. The A’s scored two more in the second on a walk, an error and an RBI single by Jonathan Arsenault.
The Chevies threatened a couple other times against Brady Arsenault but were unable to score until the fourth, when they pushed across a run on Scott Harper’s fielder’s choice.
They added two more in the fifth, all coming with two outs. Darcy Affleck and Desi Doyle had back-to-back walks and third baseman Grant Grady’s throw on Troy Coffin’s chopper missed first base to cash the first run. Stephen O’Shea then ripped one up the middle off shortstop Ryne MacIsaac’s glove to plate the second run.
Stratford appeared to get one run back in the bottom of the fifth when miscommunication in left-centre field allowed Randy Taylor to try to score. He dove for the plate, but catcher Desi Doyle was unable to hold the throw through the tag. He picked up the ball and tagged Taylor who was called out, frustrating a Stratford bench which could not believe the call.
The umps got together, but the call stood.
Jonathan Arsenault pitched the final two innings, protecting the 4-3 lead, to earn the save.
Dominique Ryan led the A's at the plate, reaching base three times on two walks and an error and scoring two runs.
O’Shea and Doyle were each 1-for-3 with a run scored to lead the Chevies.
