Hamilton Cardinals Juniors Finalists in Brantford
Submitted By Hamilton Cardinals on Thu 05 23, 19
The 2019 season has been off to a slow start with the obvious scheduling issues due to poor springweather. When the Cardinals travelled to Brantford for the Victoria Day week-end tournament, it wouldalso be the first time on the diamond for the team.
Friday evening facing Milton was a very close game with the Cardinals being down 4 – 3 going into the
6 th . For the next two innings Milton poured it on with some timely and well placed hits resulting in a loss
11-3. Next the Cardinals would face Belle River. Another tight game tied heading into the fourth when
Belle River went into the lead. Battling back the Cardinals scored 4 runs in the 6 th leading to a 5 – 3 win
Saturday the Cardinals would face Mississauga, they were out in front quickly with 2 runs in the first.
The bats were hot and they didn’t look back to a 13 - 0 victory. The final game of pool play was against
Vaughan. Once again the Cardinals capitalized quickly with one run in the 1 st . This would end up to be
the only run in a 1-0 victory over Vaughan.
It was a lengthy wait until all of the pool play concluded and
the Cardinals finished second in their pool and would advance to face Newmarket in the Semi-Finals.
Bright and early Sunday morning the Cardinals were ready to face off against Newmarket. The Cardinals
scored in the 1 st but Newmarket answered back in the bottom of the inning and a 1-1 would remain until
the top of the 6 th . The Cardinals were down to their final out of the inning when an error in left field
opened the flood gates and the Cardinals went on a 2 out 7 run rally. The Cardinals would come out on
top of the Semi-Final game with a 10 – 2 victory.
Next the Cardinals would face the home town Brantford Red Sox. The Red Sox bats were hot and they
were up by 3 off a long shot home run to centre field. The Cardinals got one back in the bottom of the
first. The Red Sox continued to achieve some well-placed hits and continue to tack on runs. Many
bounces didn’t go their way, a few rallies were snuffed out and although the Cardinals added 3 late in
the game it was not enough to over- come the Red Sox.
All in all, a great week-end. Six games in three days concluding with advancing to the Championship
Game. Definitely a great start to what is sure to be an exciting 2019 season for the Junior team!