When the 2021 Baseball Canada National Championships were cancelled and the four Atlantic provinces announced they would be holding Atlantic Baseball Challenge tournaments in late August as a replacement for National Championships for Provincial teams, the Provincial 15U team had one goal – to win the 2021 ABC – 15U event in Moncton, New Brunswick. And on Sunday, 22 August, they did just that, capturing the Gold medal after defeating the New Brunswick Provincial 15U team 10-3 in the Championship game.

Throughout the season, the Provincial 15U team – led by head coach Dave “Hippie” MacDougall, and assistants Mark MacDougall, Erinn MacDougall and Dave McQuaid – practised regularly, played a partial schedule in the Baseball PEI 18U “AA” category, and even when 3-2 and lost in the crossover of the East Coast Baseball Showdown tournament in Cape Breton. Coming into the ABC – 15U event, they felt confident and were on a roll.

In the final, Jack Burke got the win pitching, coming in to relieve starting pitcher Tyler Jenkins-Gaudet in the sixth inning. Burke gave up one unearned run on no hits, two walks and two strikeouts in two innings. Starter Jenkins-Gaudet gave up two runs on five hits, walking five and striking out four in five innings of work. PEI scored seven runs the seventh inning, led by Kayden Kelly’s three-run home run. Callum Thomson also had a home run in the game, and he and Tyson Wedge had two hits.

The win over New Brunswick in the final was a revenge of sorts for the Provincial 15U team, who lost to New Brunswick in walk-off fashion by a score of 7-4 in the final game of the round-robin, and then again – in walk-off fashion – in the 2 v 1 page-playoff game against New Brunswick 9-8.

Prior to the loss to New Brunswick in the final game of the round-robin, the Provincial 15U team defeated Nova Scotia 12-1 and Newfoundland & Labrador 8-5, to finish the round-robin with a record of 2-1. After losing to New Brunswick in the 2 v1 page-playoff game, the Provincial 15U team defeated Nova Scotia 4-1 in the semifinal.

Owen Murphy of the PEI Provincial 15U team was named the top catcher for the ABC - 15U event. Murphy hit .294 (with an OBP of .400) with three RBI in six games, while playing sterling defence behind the plate, throwing out two would-be base stealers. As a team, the Provincial 15U team had an exceptional team batting average of .305, led by Lance Howard (.500), Callum Thomson (.462) and Tyson Wedge (.429). Kayden Kelly and Cameron Sanderson both had seven RBI. Pitching-wise, the provincial 15U team was led by Samuel Murnaghan, who had an ERA of 0.75 in 9.1 innings of work, while Jack Burke had an ERA of 1.50 in 4.2 innings; as a team, they had a team ERA of 4.10, while striking out 48 batters in 41 innings of work.

Congratulations to the Provincial 15U team on their Gold medal, and best of luck to all players in the Provincial 15U “AAA” Championships.

The 2021 Provincial 15U team – representing Prince Edward Island at the 2021 15U Atlantic Baseball Challenge (20-22 August, New Brunswick) – will be starting I.D. sessions and tryouts within the next week or so.

Led by head coach David “Hippie” MacDougall (with Mark MacDougall and David McQuaid serving as assistant coaches), the Provincial 15U team will also practice weekly, play a schedule in the Provincial 18U “AA” league, and potentially tournaments in Atlantic Canada (conditional on PHO permissions due to the Covid-19 pandemic). Players born in 2006 and 2007 – playing 15U baseball in 2021 – are eligible to try out for this team.

Any player interested in trying out/participating with this team must pre-register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lDz8BxtnIhCsvBqPAdynt3WXzBz3iHl7p0pyvBlqkjc/edit. When field times are confirmed, the players registered via this form will be emailed.

For more information, email Hippie MacDougall at pownalsportscentre@gmail.com or call 902-626-8302.