‘A lot of good competition’: Port Hope Flyers newly minted provincial champions
- 14 hours ago
- 4 min read
By sports correspondent Alan Rivett
Since manager/player Brendan Tink joined the Port Hope Flyers’ senior baseball team nine years ago, the goal has always been to capture a provincial championship.
And after being in the hunt for a title for all those years, the Flyers found a way this season to climb the mountain to secure championship status. The Port Hope Flyers can finally state with pride they’re newly minted provincial champions.
“It’s a big relief,” said Tink, a pitcher who’s in his first season as the Flyers’ manager, along with help from fielder Luke Leoen. “We’ve been trying for the last four years at home and since I joined the team in 2017 it seems every year we’re going in with the mentality that this is the year, and we’ve always come up a bit short.
“But to finally do it with the core group that’s been around since I started, it’s really nice.”
The Flyers accomplished the long sought-after feat of a title after defeating the Clarington Cubs 6-5 in the Ontario Senior Baseball Association Senior ‘C’ tournament final in Port Hope on Sunday, Aug. 30.
The winning run came in the final inning with Wayne Feltham – a former member of the Clarington Cubs – driving in the winning run with a walk-off sacrifice fly to score Hunter Baker from third base to set off the celebration.
The Clarington squad forced a final game after defeating Port Hope earlier on Sunday afternoon 5-2 as both teams made an incredible run through the tournament with their only losses coming against each other.
Tink explained every game played against Clarington this year has been highly competitive and the final was no different.
“Clarington is a team we see during the season and it’s always close games. We ended up facing them three times in the tournament.
“We knew they were a good team, and I think it’s a bit of a disadvantage that they know us so well; they know our pitchers and know our hitters, that’s why I think it makes it a close game.
“Going into the last game, we weren’t nervous or anything. We were calm and played our game,” said Tink, who noted the team continued its strong defensive play during the weekend through to the championship final.
The OSBA senior ‘C’ championship tournament brought together 10 teams, including host Port Hope, Clarington, St. Catharines, Orillia, Clarksburg, Tillsonburg, Dresden, Petrolia, Leamington and Essex to diamonds in Port Hope and Cobourg over the weekend.
“There was a lot of good competition all weekend with the teams. Watching some of the other games we weren’t involved in there was great baseball all around,” he said.
Port Hope started its championship run with an 8-6 victory over Essex. In Game 2, Port Hope scored a 5-3 win over Clarington. Hunter hit a home run for the Flyers.
Next, Port Hope defeated Clarksburg 12-8 with Skyleuir Coote belting a home run. Port Hope defeated Essex 4-1 to set up the final two games against Clarington.
Offensively for the tournament, Dawson Baker – who went 9-for-19 with eight RBIs (runs batted in) – followed by Coote with a homer and eight RBIs. Walker McKelvey and Hunter combined for 17 hits in six games.
On the mound, Luke Kirkey pitched four times and notched a win and two saves.
“If there was an MVP, he would be it,” said Tink, of Kirkey’s contribution to the Flyers’ championship run.
Tink pitched three times and worked 12-1/3 innings. Others who provided stellar innings included Michael McNaught, Nick Kenner and Matthew Vrooman.
Tink said the senior Flyers – who range in age from 19 to 50 – added a number of younger players from ages 19 to 25 to the roster this season, as the average age of the players last year was 34.
“The average age going into the season this year was 27 – (a) big change – but we also kept those veteran guys who know how to play to guide the younger guys. Senior ball is a little bit different than when you play junior, you get slower pitches with more movement,” he explained.
The Flyers play in the OSBA during the 26-game regular season, which includes several teams from Durham Region and as far west at York Region and Mississauga.
Tink believes the Flyers will get a number of its players back to take a run at defending their provincial title next season.
“I hope so. Being a senior team, things change and people get busy with their lives, but I think the culture we’ve built over the last year and obviously now winning together we’re a very close group.
“I think everyone wants to come back and be around the guys … I would expect the majority of the guys to be back.”
Other team members include Connor Turland, Tyson Robinson, Robert McNab, Nathan Watson, Mason Dunn, Griffin Judson, Kelly Durack, Ben Deboer, Owen Shepherd, Brady Strachan, Mike Smith and Koltyn Latour.
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