POMQUET, N.S. — A broken bat single – yes, a broken bat single in fast pitch – turned out to be the key play as the Pomquet Acadians captured their third consecutive AGR crown.
In the Aug. 24 championship game, Acadian first baseman Brian Gilfoy stroked a bases-loaded, two-run single to centre that broke a 7-7 deadlock in the top of the seventh inning.
After another RBI hit from Bryden Boudreau, winning pitcher Donnelly Archibald finished off the 10-7 victory over the Heatherton Warriors in the bottom half of the frame.
“I knew it hit the fat part of the bat, but it felt weird. I looked down and I only had the handle in my hand,” Gilfoy said, with a laugh, during the post-game celebration.
The rest of the bat flew over the Acadian dugout.
The Pomquet first baseman collected the championship-winning hit off Adam Anderson, who was facing his first batter after relieving starter Paul Purcell.
“It was a drop over the plate that I was able to put back up the middle,” he said.
After Mark Dort struck out looking to start the pivotal inning, Chad O’Connor singled between first and second base, while Dave MacPherson scorched a double to left center, which put Pomquet runners at second and third with one out.
Following an intentional walk to Archibald, Anderson took the mound to go up against Gilfoy, and the rest – as they say – is history.
Quick start
The Acadians opened the scoring on a two-run homer from Archibald in the top of the first, with Ricky Bowie matching him in the bottom half to knot the match-up
Later in the opening inning, Josh Wood drove in Anderson with an RBI single to give the Warriors a 3-2 edge after one inning.
In the top of the second, Dort pulled the Acadians even with a solo shot.
Heatherton regained the lead in the see-saw game in the bottom of the fourth, with Dan Pettipas scoring on a Jackie MacDonald opposite field triple.
In the top of the fifth, four Acadians crossed the plate to make it 7-4, starting with Gilfoy and Boudreau scoring on a two-out single by Jeff Chabassol.
MacPherson then drove in a pair – Chabassol and Dort – on a double.
In their half of the frame, the Warriors responded with three runs to make it 7-7, with Josh Wood, Chris Connors and MacDonald collecting RBIs.
After the Acadians were unable to score in the top of the sixth, Ricky Bowie tried to spark a two-out charge for the Warriors, but left fielder O’Connor dropped to his knees and made a sliding catch on a sinking liner to the opposite field.
In the bottom of the seventh, Anderson led off with an infield single, winning a foot race with Gilfoy to first base. The Heatherton player was a warrior on the play, making a gusty run on an injured leg.
Wood – the next batter – hit a high-chopper behind the mound that Boudreau – the Acadian shortstop – snagged before making a strong throw to first base for the force play.
Early in his at-bat with Anderson at second base, Steve Arsenault took an offering deep to the left field corner that curved foul. After the veteran Heatherton catcher battled to a full count, Archibald secured the second out with a K.
With a sliding play similar to the one his teammate O’Connor made one inning earlier, centerfielder Mike Deon caught the final out off a blast from MacDonald.
“It’s pretty special,” Gilfoy said of the three-peat victory.
While noting the veteran make-up of their line-up, including several players more than 30 years old, he added the “infusion of young talent” this season was a key to success for the Acadians.
“They brought a lot of energy,” he said.
Gilfoy’s game-winning single put the exclamation point on a 3-for-4 effort, which included a double.
Boudreau, 2018 playoff MVP, went 3-for-3, with two RBI.
Bowie led the Warrior attack, going 3-for-4, with a home run and two RBI.
Archibald fanned six Heatherton batters in the win, while Purcell collected five strikeouts in the loss.
Setting the stage
Earlier in the day, the Acadians punched their ticket to the championship game by edging the Carmie MacInnis Insurance St. Joseph’s Chiefs 3-2.
Archibald earned the pitching victory over Jaron Kennedy.
At the plate, Archibald stroked two doubles, while collecting two RBI and catcher Blair Van Oirschot added a home run and double.
Craig MacDonald led the Chiefs’ charge with a two-run homer.
In the other semi-final match-up, the Warriors trounced the St. Andrews Flyers 14-0.
Anderson garnered the win over Lawrence MacPherson.
Round robin action
The Acadians and Warriors scored wins on the first night (Aug. 21) of the four-team tournament.
In the first game of doubleheader action, Archibald fashioned a 12-strikeout gem as Pomquet bested St. Andrews 4-0.
MacPherson struck out four in the loss.
Boudreau belted a two-run homer, while Gilfoy and Archibald chipped in doubles, to lead the Acadians’ offense.
Steve MacIssac and James Briand stroked singles for the Flyers.
In the nightcap, the Warriors edged the Chiefs 8-6.
Alex Chisholm smacked a double and a triple for Heatherton, while Petitpas added a pair of doubles.
Kennedy provided a single, double and triple for the Chiefs, while veteran Arnold Murphy contributed a single and a double.
Anderson fanned seven Chiefs for the win, while Kennedy – who struck out six – took the loss.
Two nights later (Aug. 23), the teams wrapped up round-robin play with a pair of games apiece.
The Warriors secured two victories, including 8-4 over the Acadians.
Purcell, with seven strikeouts, bested Richie Connors in the veteran mound match-up.
At the plate, Anderson and MacDonald stroked two-run shots, while Bowie and Chisholm collected solo home runs.
Pettipas added a single and double, with an RBI.
For the Acadians, Archibald contributed a solo homer and single, while Van Oirschot added two singles and two RBI.
In a lopsided 13-3 win over the Flyers, Nathanael Macdonald got the pitching victory over Eriq Proctor.
Chisholm finished with two singles and three RBI, while MacDonald added a single, double and two RBI.
Trent Deyoung had two singles and an RBI.
Kurt MacLaughlin, with a single and two RBI, and Andrew MacIssac (single and RBI), led the St. Andrews’ attack.
In a 10-6 loss to the Chiefs, Macpherson collected five strikeouts.
Kennedy fanned eight Flyer hitters in the victory.
Logan Deyoung singled twice and doubled for the Chiefs, while Mitchell Bowman went 2-for-3, with two singles and an RBI.
Craig MacDonald singled twice in four at-bats.
Andrew MacIsaac led the Flyers with a home run, single and three RBI, while Steve MacIsaac went 2-for-3, with an RBI.
Proctor added two singles.
The Chiefs settled for a split on the evening, dropping an 11-9 decision to the Acadians.
Connors secured the pitching win over Craig MacDonald.
Van Oirschot singled twice and doubled, in four at-bats, while adding three RBI.
Gilfoy singled twice, with three runs-batted-in, while Chabassol drove in two runs.
Kennedy and Bowman finished with two RBI apiece.
Award winners
Purcell, for a second consecutive campaign, won the Gerald Chisholm Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the top regular season pitcher.
He finished with a 6-1 record and 52 strikeouts.
Dan Pettipas of the Heatherton Warriors collected the Harold Macpherson Memorial Trophy for rookie of the year, while Dustin Landry of the St. Andrews Flyers received the Ernie ‘Jack’ Chisholm Memorial Trophy as top coach for the circuit.
Ricky Bowie of the Warriors garnered his second straight Jerry Broussard Memorial Trophy as top hitter for the regular season, while the Hughie Smith Memorial Trophy – for sportsmanship and athletic ability – went to Alex Chisholm of the Warriors.
For the playoffs, Archibald garnered the Joe Andy MacDonald Memorial Award for MVP, while Gilfoy received the Darryl Macpherson Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship and athletic ability.
The AGR’s players and teams also honoured long-time statistician Philippe Babin for his continuing dedication to the league.
