For the first time in four years, a Prince George minor baseball team not only made the final of the Sussex Insurance Invitational triple-A tournament in Kamloops but captured the gold medal.
The Prince George mosquito Knights overcame the sweltering 43 degree heat at the Canada Day long weekend event and some talented teams from Alberta and British Columbia to emerge the champions.
Knights assistant coach Todd Schwab said it was a team effort, especially in the final when they were trailing by four runs after four innings but stormed back to defeat Alberta's Sherwood Park Athletics 15-10.
"Each and every one of the kids did what they needed to do and contributed to the win," said Schwab. "I've never seen any mosquito team hit the ball like Sherwood Park did; they could hit better then many peewee and bantam teams."
The Athletics scored most of their runs off hard hits to the outfield, while the Knights scored their runs off pass balls, the more traditional way for the nine-and 10-year-old ball players.
Schwab said starting pitcher Derian Potskin adjusted his game well against the hard-hitting Athletics.
"It was probably the hardest hitting team Derian had ever faced but he kept his composure on the mound," said Schwab about the team's most valuable player in the gold-medal game.
Potskin also contributed offensively for the Knights. Prince George trailed 10-6 in the fifth inning when Potskin pounded a ball to deep centre field for a double that scored a pair of runs. Zach Schwab drove in Potskin with a single and the comeback was on.
Knights shortstop Jacob Anker made a couple of difficult outs in the final inning, with runners on base, to secure the win.
The Knights finished the tournament with a 5-0 record, including round robin wins against St. Albert (Alberta), and two Kelowna teams, Rutland and West Kelowna.
In the semifinal, the Knights beat another Alberta team, the Spruce Grove White Sox, in a pitcher's duel. The game was scoreless through three innings as Zach Schwab went fastball to fastball with the White Sox hurler. The Knights scored the only run of the game in the fourth inning.
Zach Schwab pitched four and two-thirds innings, throwing 64 pitches (the maximum a mosquito player can throw is 70) with nine strikeouts, one walk and one hit batter.
The Knights are coached by Buck Schmidt along with assistant coaches Alain Bachard, Jason Niemi and Schwab.
The other members of the team are Kyle Bachand, Holden Black, Braydan Buchi, Colby Clarke, Lucas Crossina, Nolan Hull, Dawson Joly, Landen Niemi, Hayden Prive and Conner Amonson.
