THUNDER BAY -- Liam Willmore made the most of limited playing time Tuesday night.
The Port Arthur Nationals right-fielder, who pinch hit and drew a two-out walk in the fourth inning, slammed a game-winning two-out, two-run single to right in the fifth to lead the local favourites into Wednesday night’s final at the Ontario Little League Major Provincials against the High Park Braves.
Then, with the South Ottawa Blues threatening, loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth, the 12-year-old Willmore snagged a line drive off Jack Matsukubo’s bat and gunned a throw to first that doubled off Aidan Suri to quell the threat.
The Nationals would hold on for a 5-4 win, Alex Gautier setting the side down in order to set up a rematch with the powerful Braves, who edged Port Arthur by a single run in round-robin play on Monday.
“That at bat I was thinking I’ve just got to get that run in somehow – just get a walk or I could get a nice base hit and drive in two runs. I couldn’t ask for more,” he said.
Willmore said he wasn’t necessarily thinking of doubling off the runner at first, he just wanted to make sure the runner on third didn’t advance to tie the game 5-5 if a fly ball came his direction.
“I thought I’ve got to catch the ball in the air and throw out any runners that were running or had already left,” he said, adding he expected Suri to tag up and then head for second.
“It came to me and I made the play. Most of the guys on this team would have made that play.”
It was a comeback win for the Nationals, who gave up four runs in the second under unusual circumstances.
Reliever Mike Danchuk allowed the first two runners to reach, retired the next two batters and appeared to get out of trouble when No. 9 hitter Nathan Cook grounded weakly to second. But the home-plate umpire ruled catcher’s interference and the bases were loaded.
Giving the Blues an extra out proved costly.
Leadoff hitter Caleb Davis walked to tie the game 1-1, Jeremy Oliver following with a two-run single. Matty McCaw added another run off Gautier, who took over after Oliver’s hit, to put Ottawa up 4-1 after two.
Gautier then set the Blues down in order in the third and fourth, the Nationals adding a run on an errant throw to the pitcher that allowed Kohl Johnson to race home from third with Port Arthur’s second run.
Gautier, who struck out five to earn the victory -- and also scored the winning run -- said the team is pretty pumped.
“I think we can beat High Park and it feels good,” he said.
“I didn’t feel like I was throwing very hard, but I stayed in there and got the win.”
The youngster, who played for the Nationals a year ago as an 11-year-old, said they tried to ignore the scoreboard in the early going.
“I knew we were going to score more than one run, so we felt confident,” he said.
The final is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday at George Burke Park.
