18U Nationals drop heartbreaker in Guelph

The Stratford 18U Nationals mounted a strong comeback effort late in the game, only to lose 7-6 to the Guelph Royals on June 1.

Guelph led 3-0 at the end of the first inning, but a wild pitch enabled Stratford’s Ethan Priestap to score from third, reducing the lead to 3-1. The Royals extended their lead by another run in the second after an outfield error by Finley Newton. However, Stratford responded with two runs in their half of the inning: an RBI single by James Robinson and a wild pitch that allowed Cooper Yantzi to score, bringing Stratford within one run.

The score remained 4-3 until the Royals cashed in two runs in the bottom of the fifth off Owen Brooks, who relieved Priestap with two outs in the inning. But the Nationals roared back with three runs with the bases loaded in the next inning to tie the game at six.

However, the Royals regained the lead with a two-out single, rendering the effort futile. The Nationals tried to rally in the top of the seventh with Logan MacMillan on first and Brooks on third, but a groundout by Daniel Hovius ended their attempt.

Reed Bowles pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh, giving the Nationals another chance to tie the game in the final inning, but two groundouts and a flyout ended the game, marking the Nationals' third straight defeat.

Priestap pitched four and two-thirds innings, striking out four batters while permitting three earned runs on three walks and four hits. Brooks and Bowles completed the rest of the game in relief, together recording four strikeouts, allowing three hits, and giving up one earned run. Alex Everett led the Nationals with two RBIs, and nine of the ten starters in the game reached base.

Next, Stratford will play a home-and-home series starting June 7 at Stratford National Stadium against the Simcoe Giants, followed by a rematch with the Royals on their home field on June 8.