THUNDER BAY -- Nolan Pridmore’s powerful bat was on display on Monday as his High Park Braves wrapped up round-robin play in undefeated fashion at the Ontario Little League Major provincial championship.
The Toronto 12-year-old smacked a pair of booming home runs, providing the lion’s share of the offence in the Braves 5-4 win over the host Port Arthur Nationals at George Burke Park.
He hit a three-run shot in the first off Nats starter Alex Gautier to erase a 3-0 deficit, then tied it 4-4 in the bottom of the third with a solo blast.
“These guys showed some offence. I was just overall happy to help the team with pitching and hitting and we win as a team and we lose as a team,” the youngster said.
“I was just thinking line-drive hitting and a home run was a bonus.”
The win secures top spot in Pool B at the eight-team event and a match-up against the Ottawa West Twins in Tuesday’s semifinal for the Braves, who finished 3-0 during the round-robin portion of the tournament.
The Nationals, who drop to 2-1, will take on the South Ottawa Blues, who also went unbeaten at 3-0.
The winning run came home on a ball in the dirt, with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, pinch runner Myles Wall scampering home from third.
He assumed base-running duties for 1B Max Zentil, who doubled to lead off the inning, the beneficiary of a controversial call at second.
It appeared outfielder Porter Jorgenson gunned down Zentil as he slide into second, but the umpire ruled the runner beat the tag.
Nationals manager Tony Lachimea said the team just has to put the play behind them and ready themselves for South Ottawa on Tuesday.
“I was a little upset over that call, but what are you going to do? That’s baseball. You can’t really put it in the hands of these guys behind the plate and on the bases, because that’s what happens. You wait and something like that goes wrong,” Lachimea said.
“Hats off to that team. They’re a good team. We didn’t hit today and that’s what hurt us.”
Thunder Bay scored three times in the first, the only hit a bunt single by third-baseman Evan Lachimea. A pair of wild pitches and a throwing error by catcher Ash Abuls and the Nats had cleared the bases and looked to continue their hot-hitting ways that saw them outscore their opponents 27-0 through two games.
Port Arthur’s fourth run came in the third, Jack Pineau scoring on a passed ball on a third strike with Gautier at the plate.
Nationals pitcher Liam Willmore, who tossed a pair of shutout innings, said they’ve still got a chance. That’s what matters at this point.
“We’ve seen these teams play and we’re confident we can beat them and maybe see this team again in the final and hopefully beat them this time,” the 12-year-old said.
“I feel like we played our best, but maybe we will pull it out next time.”
The Nationals/Blues semifinal is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.
