Jul 17, 2022 | Trevor Russwurm | 1134 views
15U OBA Astros Semi-Finalists in Muskoka Cup A/AA Tournament
The Mitchell Sherman Plumbing 15U OBA Astros competed in the Muskoka Cup A/AA Tournament July 15-17th in Huntsville-Bracebridge, dropping a heartbreaking 7-6 decision in the semi-finals to eventual champion Cambridge Cubs 14U AAA. Cambridge would go on to defeat Brantford Red Sox 15U A in the final by a score of 8-6 to capture the championship.
Starter Jordan Visneskie was named game MVP for Mitchell, giving up three hits in six innings with five strikeouts and hitting a key two-run single in the sixth inning to break a 3-3 tie that might have been a Cambridge lead if not for a Dominic Marshall diving catch in centre field to end the fifth inning. Cambridge would storm right back in the top of seventh with four runs to take a 7-5 lead. The Astros would battle back in their last at-bat, as Ethan Jarmuth reached on an error, scoring on Joel Meinen's RBI double. Payton Wood followed with a screaming liner that was right at the third baseman and was caught, followed by two fly balls to centre field to end the game.
Mitchell opened tournament play on Friday night vs Brantford Red Sox 15U A and were quickly in a 4-0 hole in the opening inning with some timely bunts, an error, and a two-run double. The locals were held scoreless until the bottom of the third when Carson Harmer led off with a single, stole second, and scored on Kellen Russwurm's triple to deep right centre. Visneskie would drive in Russwurm with an RBI groundout and Charlie Wolfe would later score to cut the lead to 5-3 for Brantford. In true fashion down 8-3 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Astros refused to give in as Jack Miller got things going reaching base on a one-out error. Ryan Klumper was hit by a pitch and Meinen would reach on another error to load the bases. Three hits and a walk later, and Charlie Geiger would walk it off with a single in the hole at short to score Russwurm with the winning run 9-8. Mitchell MVP for the game was Meinen, who came on in relief of starter Keegan Priestap throwing 3 2/3 innings and reaching base safely in all three at-bats. Klumper would earn the win in relief pitching a scoreless final frame.
Saturday morning's matchup featured the Barrie Baycats 15U A, and the comeback kids did it again scoring three runs in the top of the sixth to come from behind and win 11-9. Mitchell would open the game with two runs in the first inning on Klumper's two-run double, scoring Marshall & Russwurm. However, in familiar fashion from the previous game, a combination of timely hits and Mitchell miscues led to giving up four runs again to go down 4-2. The Astros would begin chipping back with Wolfe scoring on Miller's RBI single in the second and Russwurm belting a solo home run to right centre in the third. Barrie kept scoring back, building a 9-4 lead after three innings of play, but would run into pitching problems in the fourth with four consecutive walks along with wild pitches and Mitchell stolen bases, and suddenly the score was 9-7. Mitchell would add a run in the fifth on Visneskie's opening walk, a sacrifice bunt by Priestap, and an RBI single by Geiger to bring the score to 9-8. Holding Barrie scoreless for the second consecutive inning, the Astros got things rolling in the sixth as Harmer and Russwurm both reached base and scored on Visneskie's two-run double down the right field line. Visneskie would add the insurance run on Priestap's RBI groundout. Starting pitcher Klumper was game MVP for Mitchell.
Not knowing what to expect from a Vaughan 15U AAA team in game three, the locals came prepared, pounding out ten hits in a 19-1 rout. Geiger, Jarmuth, and Priestap each scored three runs, and extra base hits were recorded by Wood with a two-run triple and Wolfe with a double. Hayden Nicholson had four RBI's and Geiger would pitch the complete game victory to send the Astros into the semi-finals undefeated.
The weekend performance overall was a significant accomplishment for a small town 15U D team!