Jake Romphf
After playing on the brink of elimination most of the tournament, the Corunna Giants U-21 junior baseball team came back to win the ‘AA’ Ontario championship earlier this month.
Two losses meant instant elimination, so the Giants were in trouble after dropping their opener in the tournament, held in Wyoming Aug. 10-12.
“We didn’t play bad, we just didn’t hit the ball,” said coach Ken Williams.
To win they needed to go undefeated the rest of the way.
“It was do or die every game for five games,” Williams said.
Production from some unlikely sources helped energize the entire team, he said.
“Hitting is contagious. Once a couple of the other guys started hitting the ball, they all started hitting the ball.”
Kaymond Turner, 17, came off the bench in the third game to post four clutch hits as the Giants eked out a 5-4 win over Markham. Multiple pitchers were needed in the extra-innings match.
Williams said strong pitching performances from Kyle Smith and Zach Moore were critical. A 12-2 win over the Walker Homesites Hawks of Windsor earned a spot in the semifinal.
Corunna squared off against their Lambton County rivals from Wyoming, and after leading most of the way fell behind 7-6. But the bats came alive and the Giants put up a huge six-run sixth inning for the 12-7 victory.
Zach Moore’s older brother, Travis, got the start for the championship final against Essex. The pitching staff was drained physically, but the team got more than expected when Moore held in to pitch all seven innings.
He allowed just three hits, helping the Giants claim a provincial title with a 5-1 victory.
“It was awesome to watch. It was awesome to be a part of,” Williams said.
Many of the Giants have been together since they began playing rookie ball at the age of six or seven, with Williams coaching every step of the way.
Now, many of them are ending their baseball careers as champions.
“It was such a good group of kids,” he said. “It was a lot of fun.”