Charlottetown’s Capital District Islanders defeat Stratford A’s to repeat as IJBL champions

STRATFORD, P.E.I. — The Capital District Islanders are creating a pattern of producing late-game magic within the deciding sport of the Island Junior 22U Baseball League.

After defeating the Summerside Chevys in further innings within the closing sport of the 2021 championship sequence, the Islanders scored 4 runs within the backside of the sixth inning to interrupt a 7-7 tie and defeat the Stratford A’s 11-7 in Recreation 5 of the best-of-five closing on Oct. 13.

Consequently, the Charlottetown-based Islanders had been offered with the Colin (Coke) Grady Memorial Trophy for the second yr in a row throughout a post-game ceremony. The championship trophy honours the reminiscence of Grady, a longtime participant, minor baseball coach and supporter of youth in Summerside.

“We now have been by (the emotional journey of playoff baseball) earlier than,” mentioned Andy Price, who coaches the Islanders with Joe Ryan and Donnie (Funnel) MacLean. “They’re an excellent bunch of gamers, they usually know they should grasp on and it’s going to return. I can’t say sufficient about them.”

“They’re an excellent bunch of gamers, they usually know they should grasp on and it’s going to return. I can’t say sufficient about them.” – Andy Price

Earlier than 200 spectators on the Decrease MacNeill Subject, the sport featured back-and-forth momentum swings.

The Islanders constructed a 7-0 lead, solely to have the never-say-die A’s battle again to tie the rating 7-7. That set the stage for the underside of the sixth inning.

Dylan Price of Charlottetown delivered a run-scoring single to provide the Islanders an 8-7 lead. Just a few batters later, Gabe Penalver launched a three-run blast to open a four-run benefit.

“It was undoubtedly an excellent sport to observe and play in,” mentioned Dylan Price, 19. “It was a curler coaster of feelings, beginning up seven and them coming again and tying it up. Gabe hitting a three-run residence run actually obtained our group going.”

Noah Duckworth, who got here on to earn the pitching win within the closing sport of the league championship sequence for the second yr in a row, retired the facet so as within the high of the seventh inning.

Capital District starter Nolan Ryan labored 5 innings.

“It was an excellent sequence,” mentioned Dylan Price. “Each groups performed laborious and aggressive and it was some actually good ball.”

High performers

Price and Penalver had been named co-MVPs of the playoffs.

Price had a .440 batting common within the post-season, drove in 11 runs whereas taking part in glorious defence, largely at shortstop.

Alongside together with his massive residence run within the closing, Penalver recorded a pitching file of 3-1 (won-lost) within the playoffs, together with an ideal sport on 44 pitches in a five-inning contest towards the Western Mariners within the semifinals. Penalver went 2-1 within the closing sequence, incomes the pitching wins in Video games 2 and three.

“It at all times feels good to get recognition,” mentioned the 22-year-old Penalver, the 2021 playoff MVP. “It was undoubtedly an all-round group effort.”

Entertaining contest

The A’s threatened first within the high of the primary inning however had been unable to attain after loading the bases.

The Islanders jumped out to a 3-0 lead of their first at-bat, keyed by Price’s double off Stratford beginning pitcher Kyle Kennedy. The Islanders scored three extra runs within the second inning and added a single within the third to go up 7-0.

The A’s obtained one run again within the fourth, scored thrice within the fifth and added three extra runs within the high of the sixth to tie the sport 7-7.

“It was nice to see nobody getting down when Stratford was coming again,” mentioned Penalver. “We stayed composed, stayed inside ourselves and did what we needed to do.”

Recap

Scores within the Island Junior 22U Baseball League closing sequence:

Recreation 1

Sept. 16

Stratford 13 Capital District 8

****

Recreation 2

Sept. 19

Capital District 5 Stratford 3

****

Recreation 3

Oct. 11

Capital District 9 Stratford 2

****

Recreation 4

Oct. 12

Stratford 8 Capital District 6

****

Recreation 5

Oct. 13

Capital District 11 Stratford 7

Jason Simmonds is a sports activities editor with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. He may be reached by e-mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @JpsportsJason.