By Dan Plouffe
The underdog Ottawa West Twins came within one game of winning a Canadian Little League Championships title, reaching the July 27 final of the Senior-level tournament in their hometown.
“I look at that team and I just see the little team that could,” says tournament director Jim Dean, noting the small number of players in the Ottawa West association, part of the smallest Little League Canada district. “I cannot believe how far they came and how close they came.”
Team Saskatchewan, which also earned the sportsmanship award voted on by all teams, blew open a 3-1 contest with a 7-run 6th inning en route to a 10-2 victory.
The Twins put together an impressive run to reach the final, opening with decisive wins over the Fraser Valley Warriors and the host Kanata Cubs, followed by a narrow 5-4 defeat to the Edmonton Cubs (despite outhitting their opponents 11-4), a 20-14 slugfest win over Sentinelle, and then a 6-5 loss to Saskatchewan to conclude the round robin.
On the strength of Layton Moss McEachern’s “start of a lifetime”, as his coach called the 15-year-old’s 1-run complete-game gem, the Twins turned the tables on the Cubs in the semi-finals to post a 2-1 victory.
The loss in the championship game stung, but Ottawa West coach Fern Lefebvre told his players “they should hold their heads up high” after punching well above their weight.
“As one of the smallest Little Leagues, we’re not supposed to win, but we’re out here playing our butts off,” Lefebvre indicates. “I’m very proud of them.”
Lefebrve points to the volunteers that drive the organization as the reason they can compete so well against other larger associations.
“I think the coaching we have at Ottawa West is superior to most Little Leagues,” adds Lefebrve, whose club also won district titles at the Minor and Major level this season. “We all take it seriously. We all come out here to try to make the kids have fun and while we’re having fun, teach some baseball.
“It’s been a great experience.”
Eagles win Ontario
On the same afternoon as the Senior national final, the East Nepean Eagles became champions at the Junior Provincials. The Eagles were undefeated at the July 23-27 event, beating host Windsor South 26-0, Windsor West 9-4 and Orleans 12-2 to earn a place in the final, where they downed Windsor West once again 4-1.
Alongside the Orleans Red Sox, the Twins Minors play in their Provincials July 30-Aug. 3 in Renfrew.