The North Island Royals are enjoying some excellent weather for their fall ball season, which was made all the better after a tournament victory last week.
In the Zack Downey Memorial Bantam tournament, held in Victoria, the Bantam AAA Royals beat out the Cowichan Mustangs by a score of 8-7 in extra innings.
In fact, they needed three extra frames before the North Island Royals came away with the victory.
“The entire roster contributed,” general manager Kurt Bowles said. “It turned out to be a battle of attrition. Having plenty of pitchers on a 21-man roster was key. It comes down to pitching when you make it to the final in any tournament.”
“The boys really came together on a rainy Sunday to battle out a victory. They showed a lot of character. Our program’s successes are because of the dedication of our players and parents.”
The Royals were back in action this past Sunday, playing host to Cowichan once again. It’s a great way for the Royals of the B.C. Premier Baseball League to get a look at some of the potential future players.
“I think it’s very helpful,” coach Jim Seredick said. “It’s a great way to evaluate these players as they come up through different leagues on there way to, hopefully, one day playing for the Parksville Royals.”
“We use the fall ball as an indicator too, in terms of who is truly interested in the game of baseball and wanting to improve in the off-season, so it’s a win-win all around.”