Shamrocks have a strong showing in Dundas tourney

The Sudbury Bantam Shamrocks baseball team had a very respectable showing in a tournament in Dundas.

The northern boys advanced to the tournament semi-finals before bowing out.

A lack of timely hitting did the Shamrocks in for the opening game, as Sudbury dropped a 2-1 decision to the Royal York Cardinals, despite out-hitting their opponents nine to four.

Cameron Docking led the way with three singles, while Joe Guzzo doubled and scored in the opening frame, as Patrick Thom pitched five solid innings, but still took the loss.

The locals evened their record at 1-1 the next morning, laying a 12-3 beat down on the Burlington Bulls, with Andrew Gorman surrendering just one hit in four innings of work for the win.

Nathan Paquette created havoc out of the lead-off spot, registering three singles and four runs scored, while Brett Melanson and Parker Savard chipped in with three RBIs apiece.

In one of the best games of the weekend, the Shamrocks and Oakville Whitecaps battled to a scoreless game through six innings of play, before the Shamrocks broke the deadlock, scoring three times in the top of the seventh and holding on for a 3-2 win.

With Melanson walking and Savard rapping a single, both runners on base set the table for Tanner Morrison, who laid down the perfect sacrifice bunt, putting the pair in scoring position.

Following an intentional walk to Guzzo, Nick Durkac came through in the clutch, smashing a two-run single, with Guzzo eventually coming around as well for the game-winning run.

Savard tossed a nifty two-hitter over 6 2/3 innings of work for the win, receiving a "pitch count restriction" induced save from Paquette, who closed out the contest with a strikeout.

Come quarter-final play, the locals proved they could also win some high-scoring close affairs, edging the Milton Mets 13-11.

With pitchers from both teams struggling with their control, Sudbury built up an 11-5 lead, as Rilley Dubé cleared the bases with a three-run double in the second.

Eight different players came around to cross the plate for the Shamrocks, who seemed to run out of steam in their semi-final rematch with the Whitecaps.

Facing the 2014 runners-up from the Little League National Championships for a second time, the northern lads were downed 7-0.

The coaching staff was particularly pleased at the defensive improvement with the squad, as well as the overall strength of both their starting pitching and the balance of their attack at the plate.

The Sudbury Bantam Shamrocks are in tournament action again in August, travelling to Liverpool (New York), before competing at the provincial playdowns in September.

Taking part in the Dundas tournament, for the Shamrocks, were Cameron Docking, Rilley Dube, Nick Durkac, Braeden Gobbo, Andrew Gorman, Joe Guzzo, Julia Jodouin, Brett Melanson, Tanner Morrison, Nathan Paquette, Parker Savard, Patrick Thom and Braeden Dubé, a call-up from the Sudbury Peewee Shamrocks.

With Team Ontario girls team tryouts over the weekend, Jodouin was only able to make it for a single game. Team coaching staff includes Shawn Paquette, Brian Savard, Gene Guzzo and team manager Dennis Melanson.