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Cougars, Colts big winners in Medicine Hat tournament

May 6, 2017 | 5:00 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Some of southern Alberta’s top high school baseball teams paid a visit to Medicine Hat over the weekend, as the annual UCT Medicine Hat High School tournament wrapped up on Saturday afternoon.

It was a battle of two Lethbridge programs in the Tier I final, as the Chinook High Coyotes took to the diamond against the Catholic Central Cougars.

A back and forth game ensued, with the Coyotes finding the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second inning.

Both teams exchanged runs in the third, while it was Catholic Central jumping into the lead with a pair of runs in the fourth.

The Coyotes were able to get back on the board in the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3, setting up a close finish at Athletic Park.

A big sixth inning for the Cougars as they scored a pair to go up 5-3 ahead of the final inning, and were able to shut the Coyotes down in the seventh with a jumping catch at second base to take home the championship with a 7-3 victory.

Cougars outfielder Brendan Nikles said it was extra sweet winning against a city rival.

“It felt real good to get the win,” said Nikles. “I mean, our team has been playing good baseball all year long. And, it always feels good to get wins against teams that we play against in our league as well.”

To add onto the Medicine Hat tournament victory, the Cougars also picked up some points in their league standings over the Coyotes.

Third baseman Torrin Vaselenak added the runs in the sixth and seventh innings provided some much needed breathing room.

“The late runs are a big factor on the game, because that kind of gives us some insurance,” said Vaselenak. “Especially for pitchers, that are going in later in the game to try to get that save or whatever they need. So, big runs late in the game are important.”

It was championship Saturday in the Tier II bracket as well, as the host McCoy JV Colts welcomed the Brooks Buffalos to town.

McCoy scored runs in the first, third, and fourth innings to take a commanding 5-0 lead over Brooks, before breaking things wide open in the sixth inning.

The Colts racked up five runs to give themselves a 10-0, with umpires calling the game at that point and handing McCoy the Tier II title on their home diamond.

Colts ace Reese Whelan was simply spectacular in the victory, throwing a complete game shutout with only four hits allowed and 10 strikeouts.

Regular season play for local teams gets back underway on Tuesday, as the Medicine Hat Mohawks are in Taber to face W.R. Meyers and the Crescent Heights Vikings are on the road against the Foremost Falcons.