Photo courtesy of Medicine Hat Little League

By Scott Roblin

Walk Off

Harrison walks-off Quebec, sends Medicine Hat to Junior Little League National final

Aug 3, 2019 | 6:53 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – With one swing of the bat on Saturday, Cade Harrison guaranteed a national medal for the Medicine Hat AAA All-Stars.

All that’s left to decide now is what colour that medal will be.

Facing off against a 6-0 Team Quebec squad at the 2019 Canadian Junior Little League Championship semi-finals, Medicine Hat rallied from a 5-3 deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning to advance to the gold medal game with a 6-5 victory.

After the All-Stars tied the game at 5-5, Harrison connected on the second pitch he saw for a walk-off double to give Medicine Hat the improbable semi-final victory.

Saturday’s game began on a rough note for Medicine Hat however, as pitcher Kevan Schafer gave up a solo home run to Quebec’s Christophe Lepage in the top of the first inning.

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It wasn’t until the fourth inning that another run would score, with Quebec doubling its lead off a liner to right field by Samuel Lemire to make it a 2-0 game.

Alberta’s bats finally woke up in the fifth inning with an RBI single from Caleb Garrecht scoring Jeff Bullock from second base.

Team Quebec would commit a costly error just a few minutes later, which allowed Aidan Nelson to trot home from third base to tie the contest at 2-2.

Momentum quickly swung back in Quebec’s favour in the sixth though, taking the lead once again with an RBI single off the barrel of Justin Daviault.

Shortly after, errors would cost Medicine Hat dearly with one being charged to Harrison at first base that allowed two more runs from Quebec to score.

The All-Stars were able to shrink the deficit to two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning after a Quebec error, with Bullock singling to left field to bring home Colbin Unreiner.

After Quebec was blanked in the top of the seventh, Medicine Hat was able to put runners at first and second with no one out.

Trevin Ressler was able to bunt into a fielder’s choice to load up the bases, however Quebec pitcher Howen Lu was charged with an error that allowed Garrecht to score.

The next All-Stars batter was Kavne Olinski, who grounded out to second base but was able to cash in Graceon Little from third base.

That set up Harrison at the dish with just one out and Ressler 90 feet away, doubling one past first base to walk-off the tournament’s top team and advance to the national gold medal game.

All four of Medicine Hat’s RBIs on the afternoon came off separate bats with Olinski, Harrison, Bullock, and Garrecht each driving in runs.

Schafer went two and one-third innings for the All-Stars on the mound with just one earned run allowed on two hits and three strikeouts.

In relief, Ressler allowed six hits but allowed zero earned runs with a pair of punch outs for Medicine Hat.

Taking to the diamond at Spitz Stadium on Sunday at 2:00 pm for the national championship, Medicine Hat will face Team Atlantic who defeated Team Ontario 3-2 in the other semi-final.

The winner of Sunday’s gold medal game will represent Canada at the 2019 Junior Little League World Series in Taylor, Michigan later this month.