Staff
It was bad news times two for the pair of Rainy River District teams competing at the North American Fastpitch Association World Series yesterday in North Mankato, Mn.
The Northern Ontario Selects fell 8-7 in eight innings to Len’s Automotive (St. Paul, Mn.) in their first-round game in the winners’ bracket of the ‘A’ Division.
Kevin Gemmell (Barwick Blue Knights) drilled two homers and had three RBI for the Selects, who rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the third inning and led 6-4 after five.
The Fort Frances Braves’ duo of Travis Tom and Mike Parisien also homered in a losing cause.
Braves’ ace Jaden Gustafson took the loss after giving up 10 hits and 10 walks despite also striking out 11.
Kyle Pobanz had a grand slam to lead Len’s, who got a six-hit complete game from Joe Ganther.
Having dropped to the losers’ bracket, the Selects faced Oetman’s Excavating from Michigan earlier today, with the score unavailable at press time.
The Pinewood Expos, meanwhile, were beaten 5-2 by California’s Taft Buzzards in a second-round winners’ bracket game last night after having a first-round bye.
Game stats were unavailable.
The Expos also were looking to stay alive with a losers’ bracket game earlier today against the East Coast Renegades (New York), with that score also unavailable as of press time.
Tonight, the Selects U23 squad—made up of players from both the Selects and Expos—will take on the NAFA Free Agents (Minnesota) in their first game.
The tournament wraps up Sunday.
