With a club record 35 regular season wins, the defending champion were once again, without question, the team to beat at the

On Sunday in Burnaby, Mike Ellis and the underdog North Fraser Nationals found a way to derail the Sun Devils害羞草研究所� aspirations of claiming back-to-back titles.

In the semifinals, in a bona fide pitcher害羞草研究所檚 duel, Ellis allowed just four hits and struck out 10 as the Nationals eliminated Kelowna with a 2-1 win.

Nathan Ringness-Law, who went 8-0 during the regular season, was nearly as solid for the Sun Devils, allowing five hits and a pair of runs in five-plus innings.

In the end, a go-ahead, two-run home run in the fourth inning by Nick Santarelli stood up as the difference as the heavily-favoured Sun Devils watched their 2018 season come to an abrupt halt.

Down by a run, the Sun Devils threatened with base runners in both the sixth and seventh innings with just one out, but couldn害羞草研究所檛 find a way to get the equalizing run home.

害羞草研究所淎s I害羞草研究所檝e said before, any given Sunday, anything can happen,害羞草研究所� Sun Devils coach Rob Law said. 害羞草研究所淚t was just a great game and that performance by Mike (Ellis) was the best against us all year, he害羞草研究所檚 an unbelievable pitcher. We just couldn害羞草研究所檛 execute when we needed to. That害羞草研究所檚 baseball.害羞草研究所�

While Sunday害羞草研究所檚 loss wasn害羞草研究所檛 the desired result for the Sun Devils, Law said there were more than a few positives to take away from the 2018 campaign.

害羞草研究所淲e finished first in back-to-back years, we set a club record for wins this season, the program just continues to get better and better,害羞草研究所� said Law. 害羞草研究所淲e can sit here and harp on stuff that happened (at provincials), but that害羞草研究所檚 the way it goes. Hopefully it does leave a bad taste in the guys害羞草研究所� mouths and those returning players will be even hungrier.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no reason to hang our heads,害羞草研究所� he added, 害羞草研究所渋t just wasn害羞草研究所檛 our time.害羞草研究所�

Despite the graduation of seniors Tyson Lamb, Jordan Laidlaw and Ethan Soroka, Jackson Sowerby and Spencer Klassen, with 11 returning players, Law expects the Sun Devils will be 害羞草研究所渧ery talented害羞草研究所� again in 2019.

Kelowna has filed an application for a promotion into the College Prep League next season but has yet to receive an answer from BC Baseball.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 where our program needs to go, it害羞草研究所檚 the next step in our evolution,害羞草研究所� said Law. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e ready and we害羞草研究所檙e hoping BC Baseball gives us the go-ahead.害羞草研究所�

Meanwhile, North Fraser went on to capture the B.C. 18U AAA baseball title, defeating North Island 11-5 in the championship final.

The Nationals will represent B.C. at the 18U Blue Chip Prospect Tournament, Aug. 4 to 9 in Yapshank, NY.

To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.

whenderson@kelownacapnews.com
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