Will Zielinski can lay claim to something no one else can at The Road to Okotoks.
The Victoria native and Vauxhall Academy two-way standout was among the 12 Canadians taken in last weekend’s Major League Baseball Draft, as he was chosen in the 20th round by the Detroit Tigers.
Other teams at the Morneau Cup championship had players selected including the Langley Blaze (Sean Duncan and Cole Dorland) and Mississauga HPP Tigers (Damarcus Rideout-Carter), but none of them have played in the inaugural 19U national championship.
Zielinski has been fantastic through his first two games, hitting three singles and two doubles in six at-bats, driving in five runs. He has also picked up a save in Wednesday’s 5-4 thriller over the Blaze.
“Every kid dreams of it growing up and to hear your name being called is unforgettable,” he told Alberta Dugout Stories.
“It was lots of joy with my family and I got lots of text messages from people rooting for me. It was just a fun weekend.”
Just a couple of days later, the Baseball Canada Junior National Team member was on his way to the first-ever national academy championship, saying it’s been on everyone’s mind since it was first announced last winter.
They breezed through the Prairie Qualifiers but hadn’t really seen each other since that time as many headed back home or to their summer college team after the high school year finished in June.
It hasn’t phased the Jets as they are 2-0 after two games, in a pretty good spot to make it into the playoff rounds on Saturday.
Zielinski says the team has called this tournament their “final destination,” the last thing they do together before going their separate ways, and they would love nothing more than to win the first Morneau Cup.
“Oh gosh, that would be unreal,” he said. “This program is just about winning and doing whatever you can do to win. It’s the ultimate goal and that’s what we all strive for.”
THE DAILY RUNDOWN
Starting off the day at Tourmaline Field, it was Clark Heimbecker, Mikey Batiste and Zach Barker driving in three runs apiece as the Ontario Blue Jays hammered the DT Selects 15-3.
A nailbiter at Seaman Stadium’s first game took place as Vauxhall held on for a 5-4 win over the Victoria Eagles. Kaleb Bozek went 3-for-3 with two RBI while Matthew Getz also drove in two for the Jets, who were up 5-1 going into the bottom of the sixth before the Eagles got two in their half, another one in the seventh, and were threatening again before Zielinski shut the door.
The Ontario Terriers picked up their first win with an 8-1 triumph over Atlantic Frontier. Max Postic picked up two doubles and five RBI to lead the Terriers’ charge.
Sam Sugden hit a three-run double on a wild play where he ended up being caught in a rundown and those were the insurance runs for the Langley Blaze as they downed AHP 6-2.
A two-run third-inning homer from Nate Alefounder was the difference as the Etobicoke Rangers cruised to the 9-2 win over the Ontario Kobras.
Matt Stevenson drove in three while Tyson Dyck, who was picked up at the Morneau Cup Draft from Webber Academy, provided six solid innings on the mound as the UBC Thunder downed the Mississauga Tigers 11-4.
The only blemish on a great outing from Mitchell Rauckman was a Ryland Peters solo home run in the fifth as the Abbotsford Cardinals edged Team Saskatchewan 1-0.
And in the final game of the day, Louis-Charles Larouche hit his second round tripper of the tournament, driving in three, as Dawgs Black downed Gulls Prep 8-2. Kadyn Armitage also drove in three for the home squad.
STANDINGS AFTER DAY TWO
Okotoks Dawgs Black – 2-0
Vauxhall Academy – 2-0
UBC Thunder – 2-0
Etobicoke Rangers – 2-0
Ontario Blue Jays – 1-1
AHP Renegades – 1-1
Victoria Eagles – 1-1
Langley Blaze – 1-1
Terriers Baseball – 1-1
Gulls Prep – 1-1
Abbotsford Cardinals – 1-1
Mississauga HPP Tigers – 1-1
Team Saskatchewan – 0-2
Atlantic Frontier – 0-2
Ontario Kobras – 0-2
DT Selects – 0-2
Main image provided by Scott Savard Photography.
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