Local underdogs show poise as tournament opens at Mundy Park
The Coquitlam Jr. Reds delivered an emphatic statement on the first day of the 18U AAA Western Canadian Baseball Championships, winning two games at Bill Green Field in Mundy Park on Friday and signalling that a youthful local squad can compete with older regional teams.
Composed largely of players in Grade 10 and 11, the Jr. Reds beat Manitoba’s Webber Wildcats 6-5 in a late comeback and followed that with an 8-0 shutout over the Bonvital Black Sox in the evening. The visiting teams — from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba — including the North Island Cubs from Campbell River, arrived with predominantly senior high-school rosters.
“The Reds... defeated the Webber Wildcats 6-5,”
The first game tested the local side’s resilience. After falling behind 5-0 in the second inning, Coquitlam chipped away at the lead — a left-field home run by Blake Towsley produced two runs in the third, and by the fourth the game was even. The finale arrived in the bottom of the seventh when a sequence of small-ball plays produced the winning run: a single, a wild-pitch advance, a bunt single and a line drive to centre by Linden Krause that scored the decisive run.
Relief pitcher Hudson Sawatzky earned the victory after entering in the seventh. The Reds’ earlier pitcher Nathan Randall worked five scoreless innings after starter Matyas Fabbro handed him the ball.
Depth and pitching depth give Coquitlam an edge
The nightcap was a more straightforward affair. Coquitlam scored across several innings — one in the first, three in the third and three in the sixth — and added another in the seventh. Four hurlers combined for the shutout: Lars Eriksson, Quinson Van Den Bussche, Mathew Marchant and Fraser Warren, limiting the visiting Black Sox to three hits.
For the local baseball community, the Reds’ opening-day performance matters beyond the scoreboard. It highlights the depth of Coquitlam’s development pipeline and gives young players exposure to provincial competition without having to travel long distances. The event also draws regional attention to Mundy Park as a venue capable of hosting multi-day championships, which can boost small-scale tourism and local vendor activity over the weekend.
- Resilience: Overcame early deficits to win close games.
- Pitching depth: Multiple pitchers combined effectively in both games.
- Community benefit: Tournament brings teams and visitors to Mundy Park.
Schedule and what’s next
The tournament continues through the weekend. The Jr. Reds’ remaining schedule for Saturday was set at Bill Green Field, with a 1 p.m. matchup against the East Central Red Sox from Saskatchewan and a 7 p.m. game against the North Island Cubs from Campbell River. The championship final is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Sunday.
| Day | Opponent | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Friday | Webber Wildcats (Manitoba) | Afternoon — 6-5 win |
| Friday | Bonvital Black Sox (Manitoba) | Evening — 8-0 win |
| Saturday | East Central Red Sox (Saskatchewan) | 1 p.m. |
| Saturday | North Island Cubs (Campbell River) | 7 p.m. |
For parents, scouts and neighbourhood fans, the weekend offers an opportunity to watch emerging Coquitlam talent. A strong showing by the Jr. Reds on local diamonds will fuel conversations about youth programming, field maintenance and pathways for high-school players aiming for higher levels of competition.
With momentum on their side, the Jr. Reds will look to harness home-park advantage and the support of local fans as the tournament progresses toward Sunday’s final.
