Shade felt the jaws closing around them, only to bare their teeth and bite back at the most opportune moment.
A three-run fifth inning broke a 9-9 tie and propelled Shade to a 12-10 victory over Variety Pack/Blue Zone in the “A” final of the Kingsley Downs Memorial Tournament Sunday afternoon in Devlin.
After shutting out Variety Pack/Blue Zone in the top half of the frame, Shade loaded the bases with nobody out against pitcher Gary Silander.
Jack Kellar, Silander’s mound counterpart, then smashed an RBI sacrifice fly to right to score Charlotte Bazylewski with the go-ahead run. Mike Kellar and Diana King followed with RBI singles to stretch the lead to 12-9.
Don Kellar clobbered a solo home run in the sixth to pull Variety Pack/Blue Zone within two. But after loading the bases with two out in the inning, Silander’s wicked line drive to right-centre field was caught on the dead run by Shade outfielder Jim Hill to end the threat.
Variety Pack/Blue Zone went three up, three down in the seventh to close the contest.
The “B” final featured Good Vibrations putting in a rousing challenge before falling to the Village People by a single run. The exact score was unavailable at press time.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
