Knights place fifth at prestigious Pennsylvania tourney

State College, PA. June 27 – The 18U Ottawa Knights placed fifth of 34 teams during the weekend at the prestigious Bellefonte Showdown Baseball Tournament.

After finishing the preliminary round with a 3-1 record, the Knights just missed the semi-finals and had to settle for playing a consolation game to decide fifth place. Disappointed at not making the championship round, Ottawa took out its frustration on the Baltimore Blue Jays, romping 11-0 in just five innings.

Earlier, the Knights opened with a 10-5 win over Philipsburg, Pa., lost 5-2 to Quakerstown, Pa., then rebounded to beat Bradford County, Pa., 5-1 in a tight game and crush Penns Valley, Pa., 9-1.

The Knights’ overall record now stands at 15-5.

In the consolation win over Baltimore, pitchers Pat Derouin and Casey Floyd – who tossed the fifth inning – combined on a no-hitter. Meanwhile Ottawa’s bats were tattooing Baltimore pitchers for 10 hits and three walks.

Wil McIntyre led the way with a triple, double and single to drive in four runs. He also scored three times. Steve Renaud added a triple, double and two RBIs, while Charlie Crabb, Steve Milks, Ryan Morrissette, and Justin Carpenter drove in other runs.

In earlier games:

-- Ottawa scored four runs in the first inning in the win over Philipsburg and never looked back. Floyd tossed a complete game for the win, while Wes Hoppner smacked a solo homer, McIntyre a two-run double and sac fly, and Milks a two-run single. Mike Byrne, Carpenter, Renaud and Jamie Wilcox had the other RBIs. Byrne ended the game with a spectacular double play, catching a fly to centre and throwing out a runner at home plate as Carpenter, the backcatcher, made a great rolling tag.

-- In its only loss, Ottawa gave up four runs in the fifth against Quakerstown. The Knights mustered just three hits, with Byrne driving in one run and the other scoring on an error. Crabb took the loss, combining with Evan Hammond on a five-hitter.

-- The Knights broke open a 1-1 battle with Bradford County by scoring four runs in the fifth. The big hits were a McIntyre two-run single followed by Milks’ RBI single. Earlier, Pat Derouin whacked an RBI single to drive in Hammond, tying the game in the third. Pitcher Dillon James was sharp, scattering seven hits for the win. The only Bradford run was unearned.

-- In the romp over Penns Valley, McIntyre hit a homer, double and single to drive in two runs. James and Renaud also had two RBIs, while Crabb had two hits and Morrissette scored two of the runs. Carpenter went the full seven innings for the win, allowing only three hits.

The Knights return to Quebec AAA league action Tuesday at Gatineau, then travel to another major U.S. tourney, the War on the Shore in East Lyme, CT., Friday through Monday.