The Port Perry Lake Scugog Lumber Jacks can now say they are the Eastern Canadian Bantam Fastball Champions for 2012!

The boys earned one of the two Ontario spots in the OASA Eliminations back in early July and have worked diligently all summer to make sure that they would be bringing home the gold to Ontario via Port Perry.

After two silver medal finishes in the Elimination and Provincial tournaments earlier this year and a silver medal in the Eastern Canadian’s two years ago, the boys’ only goal this time around would be to make sure they were crowned champions.

The team had an impressive 4-1 record in the match up series and ended in second place overall.  The first and second placed teams played off for a direct bye into the finals but the Jacks came up short against the Teeswater Otters in 8 innings of play losing by a score of 1-0.

The next day the Jacks had their work cut out for them as they fought their way back to the championship game by defeating the New Brunswick Slammers and a tough Newfoundland team.

The finals had Port Perry facing a well rested Teeswater team for the title.

In the first inning the Jacks got their first hit of the game but the team couldn’t capitalize on this opportunity.  The Otters also had no luck scoring as they stranded their only base-runner.

In the second inning Matt Reid of Port Perry hit a line drive up the middle which unfortunately took Matt Wardrop, Teeswater’s starting pitcher out of the game with a lower body injury.  Port Perry scored two runs in the inning on Ryan Jones’ hit to centre field.

The rally continued in the third for the Jacks as errors proved costly for a rattled Teeswater team.  Heads up base running by Dylan Smith and hard hit balls by Clayton Robinson and Brendan Hall added to Port Perry’s lead.  The Otters cashed in their first run of the game on back to back hits by the top of their lineup.

In the fourth inning the Jacks crushed any faint hopes of the Otters getting back into this game as Cody Till and Kyle Hunter both tripled followed with an out of the park home run by Layne O’Halloran.

Teeswater did manage to get 2 runs in the 5^th on a string of singles to put some pressure on the Jacks. 

In the top of the 7^th pinch runner Trent Cooper scored on a pass ball to add to the Jacks tally.  Teeswater continued to fight back but the final out was made in deep left field on a brilliant catch by Port Perry’s Jesse Simmons to end the game giving the Jacks a 9-3 victory. 

Pitching for the Lumberjacks was #44 Jeff St. Pierre, allowing 7 hits, 3 earned runs, striking out 12 and walking 2 batters.

Picking up the silver medal was the Teeswater Otters and the Newfoundland team took home the bronze.  Congratulations to all the teams on getting to the Eastern Canadians and representing their provinces.