Loreto Siniscalchi is having his way with virtually every statistical category at the Little League Canadian Championship.
After five days of play, the 13-year-old Hastings Little League ace leads the national tournament in both homeruns (four) and RBIs (13). He鈥檚 also tied for the tourney lead in earned runs (none) and sits third in strikeouts with 13. Meanwhile, his Hastings teammate Nicola Barba is tearing up the pitching stats: he leads the way in 15 strikeouts and maintains a zero-earned-run average alongside five other pitchers.
鈥淭he team has been very consistent 鈥� they鈥檝e been hitting the ball, pitching well and playing good defence,鈥� team manager Vito Bordignon told the Courier Tuesday. 鈥淲e鈥檙e getting key hits and strong pitching and those are the keys to success for our team, so right now we鈥檙e following the script.鈥澛�
Both players padded those totals Monday as the club dominated the Team Prairies entry from Moose Jaw to the tune of 10-0. Barba went to the yard twice Monday, while Siniscalchi also knocked one out. Starting pitcher Stefano Dal Sasso struck out five in three innings and Sean Coventry also notched a pair of hits.
Hastings sits atop the leaderboard as of Wednesday morning as the lone undefeated team at 5-0. Their final round robin game will be played Wednesday evening in a battle for first place against Team Quebec.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be facing more do-or-die situations in the next few days, so hopefully the kids can handle the pressure,鈥� Bordignon said.
On Sunday, Hastings dumped the Alberta entry from Southwest Little League by a score of 12-1.
Siniscalchi copped four RBIs in the win, including a three-run shot in the fourth inning, and capped the night off by fanning the final Alberta hitter in the contest.
Coventry was credited with the win on the mound, while Barba struck out six over the course of two-and-two-thirds innings.
Offence was offered up in abundance Saturday as well, as the undefeated 麻豆传媒映画side downed the Port Arthur Nationals (Team Ontario) 10-0. Hastings conceded only one hit in the game, with Anthony Porcellato striking out six and tossing a near-perfect four innings. Siniscalchi came in and closed the door in the fifth, striking out three of the four batters he faced.
Coventry and Siniscalchi both smacked dingers in the win, while Barba tallied a pair of RBIs.
Last Friday鈥檚 all-B.C. matchup with Whalley (Team B.C.) was the closest thing to a hiccup the 麻豆传媒映画team has experienced, though a pair of clutch, come-from-behind efforts salvaged a 5-4 win in front of an estimated crowd of 2,500.
Whalley went up by a pair of runs twice in the contest, though Nathan Clegg walked off in the sixth inning from a Lucas Sorace base hit to secure the win. Siniscalchi tallied a homer and six strikeouts in the contest, and was credited with the win on the mound.
A goose egg on the mound and four dingers at the dish provided the ideal start last Thursday, as Barba struck out eight of the nine batters he faced en route to a no hitter.聽
The offence came by way of two home runs from Stefano Dal Sasso, while Liam MacLean and Siniscalchi also went yard.
The top four teams face off in a playoff round Friday, while the tourney final is slated for Saturday at noon.
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