It was a case of saving their best for last for the Prince George IDL Midget Knights.
After surrendering their advantage to fall behind 3-2 in the sixth inning, the Knights ripped up the Vancouver Community Mounties pitching staff for six hits and eight runs in the bottom of the inning under the lights at Citizen Field.
With the 10-3 win the Knights improved their record to 2-0 in the B.C. Minor Baseball Midget double-A championship and kept pace with their Pool B rivals from Ridge Meadows. The undefeated ball clubs meed today at noon on Rotary Field.
Everyone was in on the sixth inning fun for the Knights as they sent 12 batters to the plate, beating up on Mounties pitchers Luke Hundal and Brad Leudke. Knights catcher Cole Laviolette restored the lead when he hit a single to score Jody Hannon.
Jared Young shut the Mounties hitters down in the top of the seventh inning to earn the win.
After two innings of scoreless ball the Knights took advantage of an error by Mounties shortstop Ian Brackman, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Jordan Patterson confounded Brackman with a hard ground ball, which sailed out to left field. Mark Mosure scored the unearned run from second.
Mounties pitcher Dylan Erickson finished the inning but was replaced by Luke Hundal in the fourth inning. Erickson gave up four hits and had one strikeout.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Mounties mounted an attack but were unable to get the tying run across the plate, leaving runners stranded at second and third.
Mosure helped put the Knights up 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth when his single down the right field line led to Reg Berry scoring with ease from second. Mosure finished the game with three hits.
An error by the Knights in the top of the sixth kept the Mounties on offence as Brandon Graham's pitch count crept towards triple digits. Ian Brackman put Vancouver on the board, scoring a fielder's choice from third base.
Down 2-1, Ben Sereda stepped up to the plate for the Mounties and pounded the ball to the centrefield wall for a two RBI double and a 3-2 lead, marking the end of Graham's night.
Graham had four strikeouts on 101 pitches, allowing three runs in five and two-third innings of work. Jared Young replaced Graham on the mound.
In other games Thursday, the Kelowna Cubs earned a pair of wins, 5-2 over Ladner and 6-4 over Duncan, while Tsawwassen beat Tri City 13-4 in Pool A action. In Pool B, Ridge Meadows triumphed twice, dumping the Mounties 16-5 before edging Victoria 2-1.
The Knights face Ridge Meadowns at Rotary Field today at noon and then play Victoria at Citizen Field, 6 p.m.
