On a weekend of contrasting results, the Valley East 13U Voyageurs ended festivities on a high note, capturing a mini-tournament in Huntsville late last month.
In spite of a really solid effort on the mound from starter A.J. Dubeau, who struck out no less than 11 batters, the Voyageurs dropped a 3-2 decision to the Muskoka Hornets in their opener.
The locals started well enough, plating two runs in the first inning courtesy of back to back doubles from Colton Audette and Gabriel Larocque, as well as an RBI single from Dubeau, but were held off the scoresheet through the final seven innings as the host team recorded an extra-inning victory.
The team got untracked in a big way in game two, scoring at least two runs in every single inning and clobbering the Orillia Royals 16-6 to even their record at 1-1. The quartet of Audette, Larocque, Justin Dandeneau and Ethan Oliver accounted for no less than 14 of the team's 16 runs, with that grouping reaching base in each and every one of their plate appearances (16/16).
Ryan Spencer got the assignment on the mound, holding the Royals off the scoresheet completely through three innings of play as Orillia rallied to make the score more respectable, scoring all six of their runs in the final two innings.
A semi-final rematch between the same two teams could not have been more different than their initial outing. A two-run fence clearing home run from Gabriel Larocque in the bottom of the fifth inning snapped a 1-1 tie, lifting the Voyageurs to a 3-2 victory.
Hudson Fletcher was touched for one run in the opening inning, but was stellar through the middle innings, giving way to Justin Dandeneau and Colton Audette in relief.
Facing Muskoka in the championship affair, the Valley East lads sent 14 batters to the plate in the top of the third inning, scoring nine runs and cruising to a 20-2 triumph. Every single player came around to score at least once for the Voyageurs, with Larocque clearing the fences for the second time on the weekend.
Other highlights in a very balanced attack came courtesy of Colton Audette, Hudson Fletcher, Max Arnold and Justin Dandeneau (3 hits each), Ethan Oliver and A.J. Dubeau (2 hits each), while Mathieu Lacasse and Nicolas Dalcourt registered two runs apiece after reaching base on walks or hit by pitches.
Owen Perron scattered eight hits over five innings, going the distance on 81 pitches to earn the win for the Valley East reps. The Voyageur victory came despite the fact that they were without the services of both Braiden Paul (injured) and William Church (unavailable for the weekend).