Truro Bearcats

Matt Mayo's three-run homer in the top of the eighth gave Truro a game one victory in an exciting kickoff to this year's finals. A fired-up Nial Hughes struck out 16 and walked 11 pitching 8 2/3 innings to pick up the win. Truro took the lead in the top of the first on a Matt Mayo single, the fourth Bearcat hit of the inning. Dartmouth quashed the rally with an inning ending double play. Dartmouth scored twice in the bottom half of the frame aided by Hughes walking the first three batters he faced. Hughes and Dartmouth hurler Trevor Zwaan (2-1) settled down only giving up one run each in the middle frames. A lucky hop in the eithth, which over the past couple of years has gone the Dry's way in their series with Truro, bounced high over the head of Dartmouth short-stop Ryan Doucette with one out. After adding another runner, Mayo hit his second homer of the playoffs to give Truro the 5-3 lead. Truro fans held their breath in the bottom of the nineth when Joe MacPherson dropped a foul pop up with two out and one on. After Doucette walked loading the bases, Kelly Spencer came on to close out the game on a long fly ball to centre field. Game two is set for Friday in Truro. Truro 100 010 030 - 5 11 2 Dartmouth 200 100 000 - 3 5 1 Nial Hughes (3-0), Kelly Spencer (s,2)(9) and Jason Hoyt; Trevor Zwaan (2-1), Jason Bailey (9) and Mark Weeks. HR: Tru - Matt Mayo (2) Tru: Matt Mayo - RBI single, GW three-run Homerun; Kevin Matheson - two singles; Joe MacPherson - three singles; Jason Hoyt - two singles, RBI. Dart: Greg West - two singles, RBI; Darren Hiltz - RBI double

ALL STAR CATCHER: LUKE SMITH - KENTVILLE 360 BATTING AVG. / 9TH IN THE LEAGUE LEAD LEAGUE IN RBI'S WITH 44. 4TH IN LEAGUE WITH RUNS SCORED WITH 32. LEAD LEAGUE IN DOUBLES WITH 13. 3RD IN LEAGUE WITH HOME RUNS WITH 7. 3RD IN LEAGUE WITH HITS WITH 45. ALL STAR FIRST BASE: DARREN DOUCETTE - DARTMOUTH BATTING AVERAGE - 309 LEAD LEAGUE IN HOME RUNS WITH 10. 5TH IN LEAGUE WITH RBI'S WITH 33. HAD 34 HITS AND SCORED 23 RUNS. ALL STAR SECOND BASEMAN: CRAIG MAC DONALD - SACKVILLE BATTING AVERAGE - 412 THIRD HIGHEST IN THE LEAGUE. 35 HITS AND SCORED 27 RUNS. ALL STAR THIRD BASE: WINSTON BROWN - TRURO BATTING AVERAGE - 392 - FIFTH HIGHEST IN THE LEAGUE. TIED FOR FIFTH IN HOME RUNS WITH 5. ALL STAR SHORTSTOP: IAN LOCKHART - KENTVILLE BATTING AVERAGE - 424 - SECOND HIGHEST IN THE LEAGUE. LEAD LEAGUE IN HITS WITH 56. LEAD THE LEAGUE IN RUNS SCORED WITH 37. 3RD HIGHEST IN THE LEAGUE IN RBI'S WITH 39. ALL STAR OUTFIELDERS: JOEL IRVINE - DARTMOUTH BATTING AVERAGE - 380, SEVENTH HIGHEST IN THE LEAGUE. 2ND IN THE LEAGUE IN HITS WITH 49. 5TH IN THE LEAGUE IN RUNS SCORED WITH 30. TIED FOR THIRD IN THE LEAGUE FOR DOUBLES WITH 11. LEAD THE LEAGUE IN STOLEN BASES WITH 18. JAMIE VALLIS - SACKVILLE BATTING AVERAGE - 389, 6TH HIGHEST IN THE LEAGUE. TIED FOR FOURTH IN HITS WITH 44. TIED FOR FIFTH FOR DOUBLES WITH 10. GREG WEST - DARTMOUTH BATTING AVERAGE - 330 37 HITS AND 34 RUNS SCORED. 28 RUNS BATTED IN. ALL STAR DESIGNATED HITTER: DARREN HILTZ - DARTMOUTH. BATTING AVERAGE - 339, 12TH HIGHEST IN THE LEAGUE. 7TH HIGHEST IN HITS WITH 41. 4TH HIGHEST IN RBI'S WITH 35. TIED FOR FIFTH IN HOME RUNS WITH 5. ALLSTAR LEFT HANDED PITCHER: LARRY HOOD - DARTMOUTH. RECORD: 5 WINS - O LOSSES ERA - 2.98 (6TH BEST IN THE LEAGUE). 22 KO'S/ WALKED 11. TIED FOR NUMBER ONE IN WINNING PERCENTAGE. ALLSTAR RIGHT HANDED PITCHER: TREVOR ZWAAN - DARTMOUTH. RECORD - 9 WINS 1 LOSS (.900 PCT.) LEAD LEAGUE IN WINS WITH 9. LEAD LEAGUE IN ERA WITH 1.66. 2ND IN LEAGUE FOR STRIKEOUTS WITH 67. PITCHED 65 INNINGS. ALLSTAR COACH OF THE YEAR: GLENN MATHESON - TRURO. LONG TIME PLAYER AND COACH WHO LEAD THE BEARCATS TO A 17 - 13 SEASON, FOR A THIRD PLACE FINISH. NSSBL MOST VALUABLE PLAYER 2002 SEASON: IAN LOCKHART - KENTVILLE. KENTVILLE'S ALLSTAR SHORTSTOP STARRED DEFENSIVELY ALL SEASON FOR THE WILDCATS AND WAS AMONG THE LEADERS IN KEY OFFENSIVE CATEGORIES. RUNNER UP TO THE BATTING TITLE: AB 132 RUNS 37 HITS 56 RBI 39 AVERAGE 424. LEAD LEAGUE IN HITS WITH 56 AND RUNS WITH 37. THIRD HIGHEST IN THE LEAGUE IN RBI'S WITH 39.

Kentville 000 030 400 - 7 8 1 Truro 004 050 13x - 13 15 1 Joel Fuller (0-2), Jeff Bishop (5), Kevin Daurie (9) and Luke Smith; Kelly Spencer (2-0), Craig Higgins (s,1)(8) and Jason Hoyt. HRs: Kent - Mike Lockhart (1) Tru - Billy MacKenzie 2(4) Matt Mayo (1) Kent: Mike Lockhart - three-run Homerun; Ian Lockhart - single, double, RBI Tru: Billy MacKenzie - grand slam, three-run home run, seven RBI; Matt Mayo - grand slam; Winston Brown - single, double Billy MacKenzie lit up Kentville pitching for two more homeruns and seven RBI in helping Truro return to the Senior League finals for the second year in a row. Halifax 000 030 000 - 3 9 1 Dartmouth 300 120 10x - 7 9 0 Travis MacQuarrie (0-2), Sheldon MacDonald (6) and Ryan Veinot; Chad Sawler (2-0) Jason Bailey (9) and Mark Weeks. HRs: Dart - Joel Irvine 2 (2), Ryan Doucette (1) Hfx: Adam Lucas - two singles, two RBI; Rob Martin - two singles; Ian Bower - two singles Dart: Joel Irvine - Three-run home run, two-run home run, five RBI; Ryan Doucette - two singles, homerun. The Dartmouth Moosehead Dry are going to the Finals for the tenth year in a row. Joel Irvine clouted two homeruns accounting for five of the Dry's runs and Ryan Doucette played outstanding defense to help Dartmouth win 7-3. Chad Sawler went eight strong innings in picking up his second win while Travis MacQuarrie took the loss for Halifax. Game one between Truro and Dartmouth is slated for Tuesday night.

Truro 200 000 100 - 3 6 2 Kentville 001 001 002 - 4 7 3 Winston Brown, Michael Hughes (6), Jeff Fielding (0-2)(7) and Matt Mayo; Kevin Nichols (1-1) and Luke Smtih. HR: Kent - Pat MacLeod (1) Tru: Winston Brown - single, RBI; Billy MacKnezie - sacrifice fly, RBI Kentville: Pat MacLeod - two-run home run; Ian Lockhart - double, single, RBI; Mike Lockhart - two singles; Luke Smith - double Pat MacLeod's two-run shot with no out in the bottom of the nineth off releiver Jeff Fielding (0-2) keeps Kentville's championship aspirations alive. Truro leads the series 3-2. Before the blast, both sides scattered six hits with the Wildcats' Kevin Nichols (1-1) going the distance for the win. Fielding was Truro's third pitcher in the game and trying for a three inning save. Truro can gain a berth into the finals with a win Thursday at home.

Dartmouth 100 400 000 - 5 8 3 Halifax 100 300 000 - 4 11 1 Larry Hood, Trevor Zwaan (2-0)(4) and Mark Weeks; Bobby Legere (0-1), Chris Munroe (5) and Ryan Veinot. Dart: Mark Weeks - double, single, two RBI; Greg West - two singles; Darren Hiltz - 2 singles Hfx: Adam Lucas - triple, two singles, RBI; Corey Christie - double, single. Trevor Zwaan came on in relief of Larry Hood in the fourth inning and put up zeroes the rest of the way giving the Dry a 3-1 series lead. Chris Munroe pitched solid relief of Bobby Legere (0-1) for Pelham Electric keeping Halifax in the game. If the Dry is able to sew up the series Thursday night, this could mark the last Senior League baseball game at the Wanderer's Grounds. Kentville 010 000 100 - 2 1 1 Truro 300 000 00x - 3 8 3 Alex Sabean (0-1) and Luke Smith; Nial Hughes (2-0) and Jason Hoyt. Kent: Ian Mosher - single Tru: Nial Hughes - 20 strikeouts, 10 walks; Jason Hoyt - two doubles; Craig Higgins - RBI double; Billy MacKenzie - two-run double, single; Winston Brown - double. Nial Hughes fanned 20 for the second time this season bringing Truro's pitching total to 65 for the series. The win gives Truro a 3-1 series edge. Alex Sabean, whose only rough inning was the first where he gave up three runs, picked solidly in a loosing effort. Ian Mosher broke Hughes' no-hit bid with a single in the sixth.