Cloverdale’s U10 Spurs are 2022 Boulanger Memorial Tournament champions.
The Spurs overcame Ladner in the final game 15-7 to win their own tournament.
Team manager Tina Todorovic said Ladner is one of the Spurs’ big rivals.
“It was a close game for the first four innings, but Cloverdale pulled away and finished strong taking home the gold with a 15-7 win,” said Todorovic.
The Boulanger Memorial Tournament welcomed teams from across the Lower mainland, as well as from Vancouver Island, and the Interior.
Cloverdale dominated their games in the round robin, going undefeated. The Spurs downed the Tsawwassen A’s 16-0 in their opening game. They then outpaced the South Okanagan Tigers 16-4. And they cruised to victory 18-0 over the Abbotsford Angels to put them in the championship game against Ladner.
In that final, Ladner got off to a quick start, scoring four runs in the first inning.
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“Cloverdale fought back by scoring four runs of their own on a two out rally,” said assistant coach Ryan Neufeld. Neufeld said Dean Jones, Ronan Bobiles, Jiwon Kim, Ethan Eskildsen, and Cooper Neufeld all came up with clutch hits to put the Spurs back in the game.
“With the help of a key Jackson Hahn hit in the 3rd inning, which drove in 2 runs, Cloverdale took the lead for good and didn’t look back.”
The Spurs added more runs in the 4th off a Hudson Cox double, scoring William Todorovic and advancing Teagan Ertmoed. Ertmoed later scored on a single from Jones.
“Ronan Bobiles came in to pitch in the 4th, 5th and 6th inning,” added Neufeld.
Bobiles struck out eight batters, “making short work of the Ladner hitters who had no answer for Ronan’s fastball,” Neufeld said.
The U10 Spurs, a summer ball team, have only been together for a couple of weeks and head coach Mike Eskildsen thinks the team has gelled quickly.
“We have a great group of kids here that love the game, listen, and work hard,” he said. “They have a chance to do something special that will give lifelong memories in winning a provincial championship and bringing home a banner to Cloverdale Ballpark.”
Eskildsen said he’s “extremely fortunate” to be able to coach alongside an excellent coaching staff and to also have a good group of parents that are all working together for the betterment of the boys.
“I look forward to what’s ahead for this group (and) seeing them develop into great ball players and teammates.”
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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