Qualifiers advance to sectional event at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
Friday, May 11, 2018
Participants at the MLB Pitch, Hit and Run local event, in Thorndale. Winners advance to a sectional event at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, in St. Marys, May 26, with an opportunity to compete at the Rogers Centre next month. (photo / Rob J. Ross)
By Rob J. Ross
THORNDALE, ON. - Two dozen players, many from Dorchester minor baseball, tested their skills in pitching accuracy, hitting power and accuracy and base running speed, at a MLB Pitch, Hit and Run local competition, last Saturday.
Each event winner and the all-round champion, in each age category, for baseball and softball, advance to a sectional event, at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, in St. Marys, May 26.
Winners at St. Marys, are eligible to compete at the Rogers Centre, in June. PHR National headquarters compare all sectionals scores in the Rogers Centre market and contact the top three participants in each age category for both baseball and softball.
New this year is a home derby for the older age groups. The winners qualify for a regional event held in Chicago later this month.
"It is an opportunity to display their baseball skills in a no-pressure environment. The home run derby adds an exciting element as well," said Mark Stevens, Thorndale event convener. "But I do believe that the opportunity to shag balls at the actual MLB home run contest is a huge reason many compete."
Dorchester hosts a local event, at diamond one by the Flight Exec Centre, Sunday, May 13, starting at 330 p.m.
Winners at Thorndale Local
Lena Sorensen was the all-around 10-year old girls' champion, winning both the hitting and running events. Sparrow Mund won the pitching event.
Petal Mund, took the 11 / 12 year old girls' title, placing first in all three events.
Ben McKeen and Colton Ogilvie, tied in both the hitting and pitching events, but being the fastest in the run, gave McKeen the all-around seven year old boys' title.
Evan Stevens took the 10-year old boys all-around crown, winning the hitting and pitching portions. Devan Lucas was the fastest in the run.
Jacob Ament grabbed the 12-year old boys' all-around title, thanks to winning the hitting and pitching events. Jacob Sorensen was the run champion.
In the 13/14 year old boys' division, Derek Lucas cleaned up taking all three events to be the all-around champion.
A quick glance at pitch, hit and run
It is a free, one day (time length varies on participants competing) skills competition, for players ages seven to 14 years old. Three levels follow local - sectionals, team and Nationals. Participants must place first in their age group to advance.
The team levels are held at all 30 Major League ballparks.
Finalists at the National level receive an all-expense paid trip to the MLB All-Star week.
The pitch portion tests how accurate a competitor can throw strikes to a strike zone target, from a distance (35 feet for softball, 45 feet for baseball). Each competitor throws six times.
The hit portion tests a competitor's ability to hit from a stationary batting tee, along a tape measure from home plate to straight away centre field. Hits are measured for distance and accuracy. Best score is recorded.
For the run, the competitor is timed running over a distance of 120 feet, with one complete turn at a base, for example from home plate to second base.