SASKATOON — The Angels and Sokke Loggers defeated separate foes to rule their respective groups in the penultimate day of the 2021 Rawlings Grand Slam Softball Championship at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. Both teams finished with 4-0 records.
The hometown team ended pool play with a 4-1 decision over the Irma Tigers late Friday night at the Bob Van Impe Stadium to clinch the top spot in the Gene McWillie pool while the Loggers downed Team Bigman, 8-1, also at BVI on Saturday at the to rule the Rob Guenter pool.
Nick Patrick pitched two-hit four innings in start for the Angels limiting the Tigers to one run, unearned, while fanning eight and walking two. Zach Pierce was tagged with one hit and struck out six to close out the game. The pair held the Tigers to 3-for-23 in batting.
Jason Hill and Derek Arsenie blasted a homer each and combined for two runs on 2-for-5 batting and four RBIs while Justin Laskowski went perfect at the plate, 3-for-3. Hill, with one out and two men on base, homered in the bottom of the fifth while Arsenie whacked a solo shot in the sixth.
The Loggers used a pair of three-run innings, in the bottom of the fourth and fifth, and leaned on the steady pitching of Aaron Emery to seal the win.
Ben Edgington doubled to lead things off for the Loggers in the fifth and scored on a Brian Banner single. Jesse Grieve had a two-run homer, sending the ball to deep left.
Todd Belton had a two-RBI single in the fourth and Bryan Abrey had a lead off homer in the first also for the B.C.-based squad.
The Angels and Loggers will be facing off with the winner earning the first championship berth while the loser will have to wait for the victor of the stepladder round.
The GP Pirates bested the Regina Golden Hawks, 6-3, while the Bear Creek Express squeezed out a 4-3 win over the Tigers in other matches on Saturday.
