Hawks tie men's final with decisive victory

Chris Clegg

As bad as they looked in the first game in the High Prairie Men's Fastball League final, the Whitefish Lake Hawks were equally impressive in the second game.

The Hawks tied the best-of-five final with a 10-1 thrashing of the Grouard 86'ers at Jaycee Park Aug. 26. The result tied the final 1-1 after the Hawks were smoked 10-5 on their home diamond Aug. 23 to open the series.

The third game of the final goes at Atikameg Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m. with the fourth game back at Jaycee Park Sept. 1.

Ironically, last year's final between the Gift Lake Sluggers and Peavine Canadians featured five straight wins by road teams so over two years the home team has yet to win a final game.

The 86'ers scored in every inning of the first game after being blanked in the first inning. Whitefish took the lead in the first when Josh Auger doubled home Burton Auger, who singled with two out.

But by the time the Hawks came to bat in the fifth inning they were down 7-1. The 86'ers scored single runs in the second, third and fourth innings and added four more runs in the fifth.

Ernie Payou started the onslaught in the second inning after his single drove home Huckle Giroux, who walked to begin the inning and advanced to third base on Rollie Gladue's single. Jesse Smith tripled home Giroux in the third inning and Ralphie Courtoreille singled home Lyle Halcrow in the fourth inning to make it 3-1.

The four-run fourth inning was highlighted by Richard Laboucan's RBI single and Payou's sacrifice fly. Giroux and Laboucan each scored on wild pitches as starter Burton Auger was wild throughout the contest and definitely off his game.

Jonny Giroux homered in the sixth inning. Gladue and Courtoreille each crossed the plate in the sixth and seventh innings to account for the other 86'ers runs.

Casey Gaudette and Burton Auger each hit RBI singles in the fifth inning while Darcy McKenzie and Josh Auger did the same in the seventh inning to account for the Hawks other runs.

Courtoreille pitched the complete game win while Burton Auger suffered the loss. The 86'ers smacked 14 hits off Burton Auger and left nine runners on base to the Hawks six. Courtoreille struck out seven.

In the second game Burton Auger doubled home Joey Anderson in the first inning to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.

But that was shortlived as Peter Keay singled, went to second on an error and scored on another error to tie the game in the 86'ers half of the first.

But the Hawks exploded in the second inning with five runs, all with two outs. Daniel Belcourt began the rally with a home run that also scored Gaudette. Joey Anderson singled and scored on Burton Auger's double. Josh Auger then homered to cap the rally.

The Hawks added four more runs in the third inning. Belcourt singled in two runs and later scored on a pass ball. Burton Auger singled home Joey Anderson with the other run.

Giroux came in to pitch in the fourth inning and retired 12 straight Hawks batters to finish the game. But the 86'ers bats were silenced by Burton Auger who tossed the complete game six-hitter.

Smith suffered the loss giving up six runs in two innings. Courtoreille pitched the third inning and gave up four runs.

Whitefish outhit the 86'ers 12-6 in the contest.