Truro had to settle for the silver medal after the Capital District Islanders scored three runs in the top of the third to mount a 6-1 lead and then went on to take the title 8-4.
The Bearcats fought back to make it 6-3 in the bottom of the fourth. Kaelan Baker singled and then Carter Higgins hit a ball deep to left that the fielder misplayed and the Bearcats advanced to second and third. Cam Weatherbee’s grounder scored Baker and then Higgins crossed the plate on an errant throw to first. Adam McBurnie walked but P.E.I. would strike out three in a row to get out of the inning.
With the score 7-3 in the top of the sixth, there was a scary moment when Truro pitcher Alex Field had nowhere to go on a line drive come-backer and took it off the side of his head. Field was down for several minutes, before being carefully helped to his feet. He walked around, then resumed his position on the mound. After a few warm up pitches he was good to go again.
In the bottom of the final inning the Bearcats looked to have something going when Baker singled up the middle and Higgins walked. McBurnie hit a long ball to centre that the fielder couldn’t gather in, scoring Baker to make it 8-4 and moving Higgins to third.
That was as close as they would come though.
Winning pitcher for the Islanders was Victor Steele who worked to the bottom of the fourth. Weatherbee started for Truro before being relieved by Field.
The Bearcats finished preliminary play in the five-team tournament with a record of three wins and one loss after defeating the host Tri-County Rangers (5-2); P.E.I. (5-4); and Newfoundland and Labrador 11-0. Their lone loss was to New Brunswick by a 3-1 count.
The Bearcats, New Brunswick and P.E.I. had identical 3-1 records following the preliminaries, but the tie-breaker process left Truro first, P.E.I. second and New Brunswick third. P.E.I. defeated New Brunswick 3-0 earlier in the day to earn a berth in the final.
SCORES
FRIDAY
Truro Bearcats 5 Tri-County Rangers 2
PEI 6 New Brunswick 5
Tri-County Rangers 5 N.L. 3
Truro Bearcats 5 PEI 4
SATURDAY
New Brunswick 15 N.L. 0
PEI 5 vs Tri-County Rangers 2
PEI 17 vs N.L. 6
New Brunswick 3 vs Truro Bearcats 1
SUNDAY
New Brunswick 11 vs Tri-County Rangers 3
Truro Bearcats 11 vs N.L. 0
SEMIFINAL
P.E.I. 3 New Brunswick 0
CHAMPIONSHIP
P.E.I. Capital District Islanders 8
Truro Bearcats 4
