Phoenix top Bulldogs to advance to SOSSA
The big guns came through for the St. Francis Phoenix Tuesday.
Carter Krawchuk and Cole Carpenter both excelled on the mound and at the plate to lead the Phoenix past the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs 6-1 to capture the Zone 4 AA baseball title on a ridiculously chilly afternoon at Alex McKenzie Park.
Krawchuk pitched four solid innings and added two hits, while Carpenter picked up the win and was on base three times.
“It is a team game and the guys really believe as a team they can accomplish things, but there’s no question you need your horses to come through,” St. Francis manager Jono Marcheterre said. “Between Carter and Cole, we rely on them. They’ve got the most experience and play at the highest level among our players, so it’s their responsibility to pick it up when we need them.”
Krawchuk, who is suiting up for the Ontario Blue Jays 16U team this season, started and permitted just one hit — a double by Griffen Whitehorse — while fanning nine over four innings. He also added a single, double and scored a run.
Carter Krawchuk
Carpenter took over for Krawchuk and finished up the final three innings, permitting one run while fanning five. He chipped in on offence with a single, two walks and two runs scored.
“They are two absolute team-first guys,” Marcheterre added. “They are not about themselves. They’re just happy to do this for the team and are proud to be Zone champs.”
Carpenter, a 17-year-old, Grade 11 student, was happy to chip in anyway he could.
“You have to work hard every day. I ran into some tough spots but you have to bail out the team,” he said. “If you work hard, it will pay off.”
Carpenter, a smooth-fielding infielder, grew up playing minor ball with the St. Catharines Cobras before graduating to two seasons of regional ball. He then joined the Great Lakes Gators, based out of West Seneca, N.Y.
“It’s a great group of guys with a great league and competition,” he said. “We do a ton of practice over there and always are doing reps. There is so much competition. The competition level is high and you have to work hard to fit in.”
Cole Carpenter
Carpenter was facing fellow Gator and ex-Cobra Randy Phelan Tuesday, who collected a hit for the Bulldogs. He also squared off versus another former longtime teammate with the Cobras, Sir Winston starting pitcher Matt Jeffery. Jeffery had a strong game in his own right, fanning eight over four scoreless innings.
The Phoenix now advance to the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association (SOSSA) AA playdowns Thursday.
St. Francis will play the Zone 2 winner at 9 a.m. at Chippawa Lions Park while the Zone 3 champion A.N. Myer Marauders take on. Zone 1 at Oakes Park at 9 a.m. The winners meet at 1 p.m. at Oakes for the SOSSA title.
“It’s a not a thing where we were able to put in practice after practice but it’s something the guys are really proud of,” Marcheterre said. “This is one of the things I enjoy about these guys. There are guys who are almost new to baseball and for me, that’s a real joy to see them working together and learning the game, and the more experienced guys working with them and helping them to put it all together and get to SOSSA.”
Phoenix 6 Bulldogs 1
BPSN Stars of the Game: Carter Krawchuk of St. Francis and Matt Jeffery of Sir Winston Churchill.
St. Francis Phoenix: Carter Krawchuk double, single, run scored; Cole Carpenter, single, two walks, two runs scored; Hudson Krawchuk, double, walk, run scored; Ben Lannan single, run scored; Michael Craig two walks, run scored.
Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs: Randy Phelan, single, run scored; Ty Meloche, single, walk; Griffen Whitehorne double, single.
Up next: The Phoenix will play the Zone 2 winner at 9 a.m. at Chippawa Lions Park while the Zone 3 champion A.N. Myer Marauders take on Zone 1 at Oakes Park at 9 a.m. The winners meet at 1 p.m. at Oakes for the SOSSA title.
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