A week after capturing a provincial Little League title in Victoria, the White Rock All-Stars appear well on their way to adding a national crown to their list of accomplishments.
The team of 11- and 12-year-old baseball players is currently a perfect 4-0 through the first five days of play at Canadian Little League Championships in Medicine Hat, Alta.
Each victory has come in impressive fashion, too.
Last Thursday, they opened the tournament with a 13-2 win over the host Medicine Hat All-Stars, and followed that with another victory Saturday, 15-6 over the Glace Bay Colonels, representing the Atlantic region. On Sunday afternoon, the B.C. champs defeated Ontario’s Port Arthur Nationals 23-4, and Monday improved their record with a 27-4 win over the Regina Kiwanis Nationals.
White Rock’s Reid Hefflick is currently leading the tournament in hitting with an .813 batting average, two home runs and 13 runs-batted-in, and teammate Robert Orr isn’t far behind him, sitting second overall with a .750 average. Orr also has three home runs.
Among pitchers, White Rock’s Reece Usselman is second in the tournament in strikeouts, with 12 – in just four-and-two-thirds innings.
On Tuesday afternoon after Peace Arch News’ press deadline, White Rock was set to face the Alberta champions from Lethbridge, and today (Wednesday) they’ll square off against Mirabel Diamond Academy from Quebec.
Playoff rounds begin Friday.
Whoever is crowned national champion this weekend won’t have much time to revel in the victory, as the Canadian champs will immediately head east to Williamsport, Pa., where they’ll represent Canada at the prestigious Little League World Series, set for Aug. 17-27.
White Rock has represented Canada at the international tournament three times – in 2007, 2008 and 2015.