[Alsfastball] Perhaps the Union Storm are the Ottawa Senators of the St. Thomas and District Fastball League

[Al Doran]

By Rob Ross
Times-Journal
         UNION - Perhaps the Union Storm are the Ottawa Senators of the St. 
Thomas and District Fastball League.
         Regular season stars but playoff fodder.
         For the third consecutive year the Union Storm will fail to win 
the playoff championship after being the top team over the 24-game schedule.
         Following a 19-5 season the Storm were down graded to sideline 
watchers after the Alvinston Indians won a 13-6 five inning mercy in the 
decisive game five of their semifinal Sunday.
         Homeruns by the Indians ace pitchers Doug Charlton and Brad Young 
led the assault on the Storm.
         "I thought this game would be one of those low scoring defensive 
battles," said Storm player-manager Tom Edie. "We started off with a bang. 
Then they hit in bunches and we couldn't stop them."
         Union led 3-0 after one inning on a solo home run from Chris 
Wismer and a two-run single by Brian Harvey.
         Alvinston struck back with six runs in the top of the second 
inning, five runs in the fourth and Young's fifth inning two-run shot had 
the mercy in effect.
         Since winning the championship in 2001 after finishing fourth, the 
Storm haven't been able to return.
         "It is frustrating," Edie admitted. "When it come down to crunch 
time we haven't been able to do it."
         Charlton picked up the win working the two and one third innings 
giving up two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out three 
batters.
         Young pitched the first two and two-thirds innings allowing four 
runs on six hits, hit two bats man and struck out five.
         Union's Todd Winkworth took the loss lasting only one and a third 
innings allowing six runs on nine hits. Dan Beecroft finished the game.
         "Veteran leadership," explained Indians player-manager Paul 
McCart. "(Union) beat us up bad last game (14-1 loss) and that didn't sit 
well with our veterans."
         Playing with a depleted bench including the absence of top hitter 
Jeff Huston due to injury, the Indians had to rely on the guys present.
         "We knew we had to bring the A game and heart," said McCart. "We 
do have a lot of heart."
         Even McCart with only 10 plate appearances all season saw regular 
action throughout the series.
         Joe Triest, Scott MacAuley and Young finished with three RBIs each 
while Scott Smith and Charlton both had two.
         Harvey had a pair of hits and two RBIs for Union. Troy Rick picked 
up RBIs on a sac fly and a bases loaded walk and Mark Coleman and Chris 
Payne each had two hits.
         The Storm forced the series to a game five pounding the Indians in 
a 14-1 five inning mercy Friday in Alvinston.
         An eight run four inning opened the flood gates highlighted by a 
pair of home runs from Harvey.
         Wismer had three hits and Coleman hit a double and a triple.
         Pitcher Dan Beecroft picked up the win tossing a two-hitter with 
eight strikeouts. Young took the loss.
         Glencoe won  the other semifinal eliminating the Highgate Rock in 
four games.
         Alvinston meets Glencoe in the final starting Tuesday.
--


        Sent from  fastballchico13 at hotmail.com
printed with permission




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