MOOSE JAW -- The Moose Jaw All Stars are heading back to the Canadian Little League Championship.
The All Stars completed a three-game sweep of North Regina Little League in the provincial championship series on Friday and as a result will represent the Prairies region when the national tournament begins in just over a week’s time in Victoria, B.C.
Moose Jaw won the opening game of the series 10-0 on Wednesday before taking a 10-5 win in Game 2 and then finishing off the provincial championship with an 8-5 win on Friday night.
The All Stars will now take on the best in Canada at the Little League Regional tournament beginning July 29 in Victoria, with the winner there advancing to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn. beginning Aug, 13.
Moose Jaw 10, North Regina 0
The All Stars had a stellar defensive performance in the series opener, giving up a single hit as they rolled to a commanding victory in Game 1.
Ollie Waddington got the start and held North Regina without a hit over 3 ⅔ innings of work, striking out five and walking one. Lincoln Magnus finished things off, giving up a single hit and striking out three over the final 3 ⅔ innings.
Easton Gray went 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored, while Beau Beddow was 2-for-3 and knocked in a pair. Larkin Elder and Landon Vanbocquestal each had a pair of hits and scored a run.
Moose Jaw 10, North Regina 5
Moose Jaw built a 5-1 lead through the first three innings and found themselves nursing a one-run lead heading into the sixth before putting up four to secure the win.
Vaughn Thibeault was one of the offensive leaders with a 2-for-3 showing that included two doubles and three RBI, while Hudson McGonigal was 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBI. Beddow also crossed the plate twice, Waddington knocked in a pair and scored a run.
McGonigal started and allowed five runs, three earned on seven hits over 4 ⅔ innings while striking out three. Thibeault got the final out in the fifth, Jordan Scory finished things off with a pair of strikeouts in the sixth.
Moose Jaw 8, North Regina 5
The All Stars fell behind 3-1 in the first inning but recovered with four in the second inning before putting the eventual game- and series-winning runs across the plate in the third.
Magnus had a solid game at the plate, going 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI, Max Young scored a run and knocked in a pair. McGonigal went 2-for-3 and scored two runs, Blake Radford, Anthony Taylor and Beddow scored their other runs.
Thibeault started the game and allowed three unearned runs on four hits over the first two innings before giving way to Scory, who was all but lights out the rest of the way -- two unearned runs, no hits and 10 strikeouts over the final four innings.
