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Riggers win in extra innings to claim provincial title

Aug 18, 2017 | 9:54 AM

The Red Deer Riggers are Senior AAA provincial champions.

The Riggers downed the Sherwood Park Athletics 8-4 in 11 innings Thursday night in game four of the Sunburst Baseball League final. Red Deer wins the best-of-five series 4-1.

Pitcher Ben Runyon got the start for the Riggers and delivered a solid 7 1/3-inning performance. Reliever Drew Boyer came on in the 11th and earned the win.

“It was probably one of the best team wins I’ve ever seen, as far as the Riggers go,” said shortstop Jason Chatwood. “We hung in there. We we’re facing a really tough pitcher [Adam PauLencu ] and had some really good at bats and some good defensive plays. Guys were just dialed in and you could see how bad everyone wanted to win.”

Both teams scored three early runs before the game settled in for the next several innings.

Sherwood Park threatened to take the lead a couple of times, putting runners in scoring position with less than three outs only to see the Riggers turn a pair of clutch double plays to get themselves out of trouble.

In the 11th, Kerry Boon and Jaret Chatwood led off with back-to-back singles for the Riggers. After a Shayne Court sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, Red Deer ran a squeeze play as Denver Wik bunted to score Boon and give the Riggers a one-run lead. Derek Chapman then drew a walk before Jason Chatwood hit a two-run single to right field for a 6-3 Red Deer advantage.

That seemed to break Sherwood Park as they then committed a pair of errors that allowed the Riggers to score two more runs and take an 8-3 lead.

The Athletics got one back in their half of the 11th but not enough to keep Red Deer from taking the title.

The win ends a bit of a championship drought for the Riggers. The last time they’d won the league and provincial title was in 2014.

“It’s sweet,” Chatwood admitted. “To me, it’s a two year process. If you don’t win you know it’s at least two years before you get to go to nationals as provincial champion. Luckily, we do get to go this year to nationals. But knowing that you’re already going next year is such a huge accomplishment. I’m really proud of everybody.”

The Riggers and Athletics both head to Victoria next week for the Canadian Senior Baseball Championship.

Red Deer’s round-robin schedule at nationals is as follows:

Thursday, Aug. 24 – Riggers vs. Tecumseh (Ontario 1) 1 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 25 – Riggers vs. Manitoba 1 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 25 – Riggers vs. Victoria (Host) 8 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 26 – Riggers vs. New Brunswick 12 p.m.

The medal round is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 27.