The Hastings Community All-Stars are proving there is no place like home.
The Little League Major Division squad has the task of being the home team in what is one of Little League Canada’s jewel events – the Canadian Major Little League championships – and they are making it look easy, having gone 5-0 to start the tournament.
The squad of 13, which includes nine Burnaby players, looked the part of favourites through the first five days, out-scoring the competition 49-5 at the Hastings Community Park, across from the PNE.
Hastings, which draws players from the territorial boundaries of Main Street in Vancouver to Sperling Avenue in Burnaby, has pulled out all the stops to make it a terrific tournament for all involved. All but the scores have been hospitable.
Monday’s 10-0 five-inning triumph over Moose Jaw, the Prairie region champion, was a case in point.
Starting pitcher Stefano Dal Sasso tossed three innings of no-hit ball, fanning five, and gave way to similar efficiency from Sean Coventry and Liam Lewis.
Backing up the steady pitching has been the bats, which are channeling the 1927 New York Yankees. Nicola Barba slammed a pair of long balls and Loreto Siniscalchi bashed his tournament-leading fourth homer to power the offence.
A lot is on the line when the dust settles and the final two teams of 11-to-13 year olds square off Aug. 13 at noon – the Canadian champion will jet off to Williamsport, Pa., to contest the Little League World Series.
Sharp pitching and booming bats have been a consistent theme for Hastings in the seven-team tournament, which continues Wednesday with the final round-robin match, against Quebec’s Diamond Academy, at 3 p.m.
The All-Stars began their march with a 12-0 shutout over the Atlantic champion Sydney Sooners, powered by four long balls. Putting balls over the Hastings Community Park fence were Dal Sasso, with two, Siniscalchi and Liam MacLean.
Barba fanned eight of nine batters without giving up a hit, while Siniscalchi finished off the game by throwing more heat.
In their second game, Hastings had to rally to edge B.C. champion Whalley 5-4, when Nathan Clegg scored the game winning run off Lucas Sorace’s walk-off single.
They also blanked Ontario’s Port Arthur squad 10-0, and trounced Lethbridge 12-1.
The playoff round begins Friday, when first place takes on No. 4 in the standings at 3 p.m., and No. 2 and 3 teams play at 6 p.m.
Players from Burnaby are Nicola Barba, Nathan Clegg, Sean Coventry, Antonio Cusati, Stefano Dal Sasso, Aaron Mak, Matteo Ripoli, Cristian Santarelli and Loreto Siniscalchi.
