Staff
Rob McGinnis said he only threw five knuckleballs the entire evening.
He wishes he hadn’t thrown the last one.
Faron Morrisseau’s three-run homer in the third inning was the biggest blow in a 5-1 win for the Couchiching Raiders over their reserve rivals, Windey’s Warriors, in Rainy River District Fastball League East Division action Tuesday night at the Rodrick and Telford Bruyere Ball Park.
Couchiching, ranked third going into the playoffs, will face its toughest challenge yet tonight at 6:30 p.m. at VanJura against the top-seeded Fort Frances Braves in the East Division semi-final.
The winner will advance to meet the second-ranked Sight & Sound Wolves in the East final this Tuesday (Aug. 30) at VanJura while the loser is done for the season.
Morrisseau’s moon shot came with one out after Andrew Easton led off by reaching on an error.
Ryan MacDonald then laid a textbook bunt down the third-base line to reach safely.
After Chris Morrisseau flew out to centre, Faron Morrisseau—tied for third in the league with eight dingers—jumped all over a McGinnis offering that didn’t move the way he wanted and sent it high over the left-field fence for a 5-0 lead.
That ended up being just extra insurance for the Raiders as Sheldon Kelly Sr. tossed a three-hit complete-game with six strikeouts and just one walk.
McGinnis, who took the loss for the fourth-ranked Warriors, had two of his team’s three hits, including a seventh-inning double that led to him eventually scoring on a wild pitch to spoil Kelly’s shutout bid.
Over in the West Division, Jeff Morrison racked up 17 strikeouts as the fourth-ranked Big Grassy Lightning upset the second-seeded Dawson Tigers 15-0 in Pinewood that halted the Tigers’ post-season run.
Morrison, who pitched the Big Grassy Braves to three-straight RRDFL titles from 2012-14, made short work of a Dawson team that tied for the third-best record in the league this season.
Meanwhile, the Lightning bats lit up Tigers’ starter Matt Comegan, who gave up the most runs he had allowed in one game all season including a home run to Billy Copenace.
With several members of the Lightning participating in the All-Ontario Aboriginal Fastball Championship Tournament in Rama this weekend, Big Grassy’s semi-final clash against the third-ranked Stratton Eagles was postponed from tonight until Monday.
The winner then will face the top-ranked Barwick Blue Knights, who remain unbeaten so far this season, in the West final Tuesday in Barwick.
