Port Arthur Nationals capture Ontario Little League championship

THUNDER BAY -- Jack Pineau says he`s been dreaming of a trip to nationals all his life – all dozen years of it.

The wait is over.

The 12-year-old helped his own cause on Wednesday night at George Burke Park, crushing a three-run home run in the first inning and striking out nine in 4.2 innings on the mound, leading the Port Arthur Nationals to a 9-4 win over the High Park Braves to win the Ontario Little League Major Provincials and a spot at the Canadian championship next week in Vancouver.

It’s the first time in 34 years a Thunder Bay team captured the provincial crown, which puts them one step – and several wins – from a spot at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn.

“It feels pretty good because I’ve tried all my life and I finally got there,” said the youngster, whose father Dave heads the Superior Secondary Schools Athletic Association.

It’s a game the Nationals, who dropped a 5-4 decision to the Toronto-based Braves on Monday to close out round-robin play, were in control of from start to finish.

Pineau’s blast gave them all the confidence the team needed, said coach Tony Lachimea.

“It set the tone,” he said.

They’d add one more in the first, an error on a Ewan Menard grounder allowing Mike Danchuk to score the Nats fourth run of the inning off High Park starter Max Zentil.

With Pineau chugging along tossing shutout ball for two innings, Liam Willmore added to the Port Arthur lead in the third, driving in a run with an infield roller that made it 5-0.

The Braves, winners of four of the past five Ontario Little League titles, got one back in the third, Nolan Pridmore scorching a single to left that plated Myles Wall.

The Nationals answered right back, Danchuk singling home Evan Lachimea, who took second on a ball in the dirt and brazenly stole third.

Pineau retired two of the first three batters he faced in the fifth, but ran into trouble, loading the bases with walk and a hit batsman. A two-run double by High Park’s Matt Reynolds ended his night on the mound, Lachimea turning to Willmore out of the pen.

The youngster, the hero of Tuesday’s semifinal win, needed just one pitch to get out of the jam, but after his team scored three more in the sixth to go up 9-3, the nerves kicked in. Willmore walked three straight batters before being lifted for closer Porter Jorgenson.

Jorgenson had command of the strike zone, set aside the first two batters and, after an RBI single closed the gap to five, induced a grounder to short to secure the championship.

“I was fairly calm because I knew we had a fairly big lead, 9-3 or something,” the 12-year-old Jorgenson said.

“I just knew I had to come in and throw good for my team. I know I have a good defence who can handle a lot. If I put something on the ground I know they’ll get me an out.”

Manager Tony Lachimea, who guaranteed a win, said he took a lot of heat for his statement, but stands by it.

“I just felt we played good,” he said.

“We battled hard and what can you say about Jack Pineau tonight and Liam Willmore and Porter Jorgenson?”

Port Arthur opens the Canadian Little League Championship on Aug. 4 against Alberta.