The Islanders — a combined team of Saltspring Island and Duncan ballplayers — finished on a winning note as they captured the bronze medal as hosts of the 13U regional baseball championships earlier this month.
The Islanders beat Comox 17-7 in the third-place game at North Cowichan’s Evans Park on Aug. 2. Most years, teams are divided into single-A and AA divisions, but this year, they were split up into north and south regions — although Comox ended up playing in the south — and the Islanders ended up being the best of the single-A batch.
“Great season overall, an awesome group of kids and parents,” said Tom Langdon, who coached the team along with Brian Bosence, Dennis Lange and Toby Horbas. “It was a mix of Saltspring and a Duncan kids and they gelled right away. They ended up going 10-2 in league play this year. They were a group that continually demonstrated high character and played hard every game. In the tournament we were matched up against some teams in a division above, but still competed every game and finished as the top Single A team in the tournament.”
The Islanders started the tournament on July 31 with back-to-back losses: 12-5 to Nanaimo and 12-8 to Comox. They bounced back the following morning with a 12-2 win over Victoria 1, then lost 19-6 to Victoria 2.
The Islanders faced Victoria 2 again in the semifinals, losing 13-2, but capped the whole tournament off by beating Comox for bronze.
Game MVPs over the course of the tournament were Jeremy Pywell-Crocker, Maddix Marquette, Jack Bosence, Nolan Langdon, Jackson Lange and Sean Anderson.