St. Thomas Cardinals kept coming back in final for gold
June 23, 2023
St. Thomas Cardinals, Aurora 9U baseball champs are - Noah Annett, Cooper Bale, Dylan East, Jaxson Gaudon, Spencer Gauntlett, Matthew Hildebrand, David Kernohan, Ashton Millyard, Olliver Southcott, Tucker Taylor, Miles Tregenza, Carter Vachon. (photo / Jenn Gauntlett)
By Rob J. Ross
AURORA, Ont. - Behind on three different occasions the St. Thomas Cardinals pulled out an extra inning victory for the gold medal.
Carter Vachon delivered the game winning hit, lifting the Cardinals to a wild 15-14 win over Aurora, in the eighth inning of the 9U tournament final June 16th.
The Cardinals trailed 8-1, 11-8 and 14-12, heading into the bottom of the seventh and potentially final inning.
In a battle of 4-0 teams in the final, host Aurora jumped out to an early seven run lead. The Cardinals rallied with a seven run explosion tying the affair in the bottom of the third inning.
Down two runs in the bottom of the seventh, Ashton Millyard went yard with a home run, pulling his team within a run. Back to back doubles by Miles Tregenza and Tucker Taylor tied the game, sending the game to extra innings.
The Cardinals held Aurora off the board, setting up a potential walk-off win. In extra innings, a runner starts the inning at second base.
Jaxson Gaudon made a key defensive play, holding the runner at second base, creating a force play, with runners at first and second.
With Matthew Hildebrand on second base Oliver Southcott moved him to third base, allowing Vachon to step up to the plate for the winning hit.
Coach Adam Millyard said, the Cardinals received "big contributions on both sides of the ball from all players up and down the line-up."
The players often hear from head coach Jason East, on the highs and lows in a game and never to feel too low.
Millyard adds, the boys showed the coaches what it meant to never get low, by never hanging their heads, staying positive and battling all the way through each game.
In the semifinals, Kanata jumped out to a 6-2 lead and held a 11-9 advantage, before St. Thomas scored seven runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth, for a 20-9 win.
The Cardinals handily won their pool, with a 3-0 record, dropping Mississauga North, 20-2, Kanata, 23-8 and Brockton, 20-9.
Seven of this
year's 9U Cardinals won the Ontario Baseball Association 8U B title last
September, winning gold at the Tarry Complex in St. Thomas.
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