Hot bats, solid defence and timely pitching helped the Prince George double-A bantam Knights capture the Best of the West title on the weekend in Kamloops.
The win at the double-A tournament, featuring squads from Alberta and the Fraser Valley, was the Knights first title of the season.
The collection of 14 players vying for a roster spot went undefeated, posting a 5-0 record. They made diving catches, double plays, stole bases, threw strikeouts and Matt Siemens even blasted a grand slam.
During the off-season, the Knights trained indoors at school gyms and the Northern Sport Centre. They were only outdoors twice on a grass field going into the tournament in Kamloops.
The team roster featured Siemens, Mike Schwab, Tom Kreitz, Kolby Lukinchuk, Brady Pratt, Craig Miller, Keith Arnett, Ryan Bachand, Liam Campbell, Ryan Hampe, Joseph Jenvenne, Quinton Astorino, Ajay Nickolet, Richard French, team manager Denny Astorino and coaches Brad Kreitz and Peter Campbell.
