The Happy’s Source for Sports Islanders were the defending 57+ Canadian champions when they left for Hamilton, Ont. last week to defend their title. Weather played a huge obstacle for the team to defend.
The Islanders’ first game, a rematch of the 2016 final, was against Nova Scotia. Islanders’ ace Andy Marinus (3IP, ER, 5K) pitched well, and the defence of Scott Murray and Don Smalley kept the Islanders in the game until the bats arrived in the fifth inning, scoring six runs behind Lane Parker (2-3) and Tim McDonald (2-2). The Islanders won 10-6.
In game two, they faced the Oakville A’s of Ontario. The Islanders’ Dean King threw two scoreless innings to start but errors behind him couldn’t keep the lead in the third. The Islanders’ offence was quiet all game until the seventh when the bats woke up. Down 3-0, the Islanders strung a few walks with a few hits to get back within a run but the A’s held on for a 3-2 win.
In game three, the Islanders’ offence finally arrived versus the B.C. Capitals from White Rock. The offence was led by Tony Powell (2-3, 2RBI), Tim McDonald (2-3, 2B, 2RBI) and Ray Vandermark (1-2, 2RBI). Marinus and Parker combined to throw five shutout innings in a 10-0 win. Local boy Richard Murphy, after his demotion to the minors, was picked up by the Capitals and was their one bright spot going 1-2 at the plate.
The Islanders faced the Tecumseh GGs in the semi-final. King (3IP, ER, K) started and the Islanders’ bats started out hot. Mike Caton (2-3, 3RBI) drove in Dave Odamura (0-1, 3BB) and Parker (1-3, BB) as the Islanders scored six runs in the first inning. The team was up 8-1 heading to the fifth when the wheels fell off, allowing nine runs in the final three innings. The Islanders found themselves in a hole heading into the bottom half of the seventh. Vandermark (1-3, 2B) led off the inning with a double off the fence. The GGs then proceeded to walk the next three of four batters and let the Islanders squeak out the victory 11-10 to head to the championship game.
The Islanders (4-1) faced rival Oakville As (5-0) in the final. McDonald (3IP, 0ER, 3K) and Parker (IP, 0ER, 2K) shut down the As offence through four innings. Happy’s offence was strong as well; up 2-0, the Islanders scored two more runs behind three straight singles by McDonald (1-2, SB), Powell (1-2, SB) and Kelly McGiffen (1-1, BB). The Islanders were up 4-0 in the bottom half of the fifth inning when the baseball gods took a hold of the game. The skies opened and poured torrential rain. With no end in sight, the tournament committee called the game and declared both teams co-champions. With the way the weather ended their tournament, the Islanders have vowed to defend their back-to-back titles in 2018 Prince Edward Island.
Happy’s tournament MVP went to Parker. The team would like to thank coaches Ray Vandermark and Kirt McGiffen.