In the world of Yellowknife fastball, the recent trend is that one team seems to go on a roll when it comes to tournaments.
Right now, the Gastown Giants are that team and they continued their run of luck last weekend.
The Giants claimed the first big tournament of 2022, the Yk Fastball LeagueSA国际影视传媒檚 Summer Showdown, comprising seven entrants at Tommy Forrest Ball Park on June 26. They beat the Slades Expos in the championship contest by a score of 12-1 in a four-inning mercy (10-run differential or better after four innings). ItSA国际影视传媒檚 the third straight tournament win for the Giants; they captured the Yk Fastball League playoff tournament title in August 2021 and the NWT MenSA国际影视传媒檚 Fastpitch Championship the month prior to that.
Garrett Hinchey, who pitched in the final for the Giants, said they rode the momentum they had during the playoff round.
SA国际影视传媒淲e had a long and really competitive semifinal that went to extra innings, and we wanted to try and keep that energy,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
The semifinal Hinchey speaks of was against the Fire Prevention Prospectors, a team against whom the Giants have already had several close contests. This time, the Giants were able to once again overcome the Prospectors, 7-6, in eight innings, a game the Gastown squad never led until the final inning. The Expos, meanwhile, advanced to the final courtesy of a 4-0 shutout win over the Optimum Crush Rockies.
SA国际影视传媒淓very time we play (the Prospectors), itSA国际影视传媒檚 always close,SA国际影视传媒� said Hinchey. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e had 1-0 games, 2-1 games, 9-8 games SA国际影视传媒� it always seems to be one-run contests and theySA国际影视传媒檙e always great games to play in.SA国际影视传媒�
In the final, the Giants did almost all of their damage in the first two innings as they put up a five-spot in each of the first and second innings while the Expos could only answer with one. That was enough to chase Expos starter Mitch Madsen from the game in favour of Devin Penney, who held the Giants to just two runs over his two innings of work, but the gap was just too much for the Expos to overcome.
Hinchey had some nice words for the Expos, saying they played great all weekend and earned their spot in the final.
SA国际影视传媒淭hey beat us earlier in the tournament, so we knew we would have to come out big against them,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e didnSA国际影视传媒檛 expect we would come out and score a bunch right off the bat, especially after the semifinal game, but they played amazing. TheySA国际影视传媒檝e rebuilt that team from the glory days with almost a whole new group of guys and theySA国际影视传媒檙e playing really well together. You can tell theySA国际影视传媒檝e hit their stride.SA国际影视传媒�
The final was the third game of the day for the Giants and it was also the third time Hinchey had to chuck.
He said he was hoping to go as long as he could, knowing Andy Williams, the GiantsSA国际影视传媒� other pitcher, could come in if things went awry.
SA国际影视传媒淕etting that many runs early made things easy for me,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 was lucky I could hold those guys and having Andy there just in case gave us a great option.SA国际影视传媒�
Having won their third consecutive tournament, Hinchey said the Giants definitely feel like the hunted when it comes to tournament play.
And thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a nice feeling to have.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 really happy with how weSA国际影视传媒檙e all playing, but we canSA国际影视传媒檛 take it for granted,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淎ll of the teams are really balanced from top to bottom right now and it comes in waves in this league. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e riding our wave right now and weSA国际影视传媒檒l do that for as long as we can. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 nice knowing we have a good shot at winning every time we play.SA国际影视传媒�
