Jared Young's Prince George Knights baseball teammates know why he's been picked for the Baseball B.C. provincial team.
For the people who don't know him, Young served up a reminder on opening day Thursday at the B.C. Minor Baseball bantam double-A provincial championship in Chilliwack.
The 15-year-old Young was a key figure in the Knights 17-2 win over White Rock. He pitched three shutout innings without allowing a hit, and let his bat do the talking, going 5-for-5 at the plate with three singles, a double and a triple.
Young, 15, has been selected for one of two teams that will represent the province in the 16-and-under division at the Pacific Northwest championship, Aug. 13-15 in Portland, Ore. The B.C. teams will face teams from Washington, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, and Montana in the tournament, which will be watched 100 major league and college scouts.
Young tried out for the provincial team as a pitcher and an infielder a few weeks ago in Whalley. Douglas College coach Cav Whitely, formerly of Prince George, was one of the camp instructors.
Young also attended a Hockey B.C. tryout camp on the Canada Day long weekend in Kamloops and is still awaiting word on whether he made that team.
If the Knights win the provincial title, they would advance to the Western Canadian championship and Young would have no choice but to miss the Oregon trip.
The Knights struck for five runs in the top of the first inning, scored 12 more in the next four innings and finished with six runs in the fifth. Stephen Penner collected three hits in four trips to the plate Thursday, with two singles and a triple. Cole Laviolette went 2-for-4 for the Knights.
Alex Gibbons took over for Young to pitch the last two innings.
Prince George plays Abbotsford today at noon, then faces Aldergrove at 6 p.m.
n Meanwhile in Rutland, the Roga Contracting mosquito division Knights (9-10-year-olds) begin their provincial tournament today at 11 a.m. against Cloverdale, The Knights also play Kelowna tonight at 6:30 p.m.
