Cannons explode to burst playoff bubble of Jake’s
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Updated: August 11, 2009 3:15 PM
Two bad innings is all it took to dismantle the efforts of Just Jake’s to win the Nanaimo Senior Men’s Fastball League playoffs.
But the news wasn’t all bad for the valley squad, as it won the championship of a tough 12-team tournament in Squamish during a busy stretch of games.
“We went six wins and a tie, beat a very good Richmond team in the final,’’ said playing-coach Scott Robinson of the Squamish tournament.
Jake’s beat Richmond 5-3 for the title behind the pitching of Brooks Robinson and home runs from Trevor Gicas and Dennis Ewart.
Brooks Robinson pitched four games during the tournament, Scott Robinson threw in two others and Gicas gave the father-and-son duo a break by pitching one game.
Four teams from Squamish and others from the Lower Mainland, Gibsons and Victoria provided tough competition.
Jake’s originally intended to play in the Senior C provincials, but opted for the Squamish tournament instead.
“It turned out to be a very good choice,’’ said Scott Robinson.
Only four teams entered the Senior C provincials.
After seven games in three days on the long weekend, Jake’s didn’t save enough energy to finish the job in the Nanaimo playoffs against Comox Valley Cannons.
“Unfortunately, it took us into our playoffs a little burnt out,’’ said Robinson.
After beating Comox 6-0 to put itself in the driver’s seat, the Duncan squad looked to be on its way to a repeat and an early end to the playoffs when disaster struck.
“We had a 5-0 lead in the first game — just ran out of gas and not sharp,’’ said Robinson.
Jake’s gave up six runs in the sixth inning and wound up losing 6-5.
“Comox, they’re a good team,’’ said Robinson. “They hit the ball very well.’’
Jay Dzuba put the Cannons on the board and Craig Armstrong followed with a grand slam to win it.
Gicas sent Jake’s on its way with a two-run homer in the first inning.
Ryan Kline was three-for-four with two runs and an RBI. Ewart, Dan Whiteford, Brad Robinson, Brooks Robinson and Scott Robinson added hits.
The deciding game Thursday had Jake’s jumping into a 2-0 lead in the first inning. But Comox erupted for eight runs in the third and went on to a 10-2 victory in five innings.
Joey Massingham, Brad Robinson and Josh Dares had the lone hits for Jake’s.
“It was just a simple case you can’t play 10 games in a week,’’ said Scott Robinson.
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