[templatic_contentbox type=”normal” title=”London Badgers Minor Bantam (AAA) OBA Champions”] Back row (left to right): Andrew Lawrence, Jordan Spring, Coach Bob Granger, Head Coach Moe Lawrence, Coach Ed Chase, Coach Tom Morris Middle row: Evan Prince, Brendan Mahood, Ben Granger, Evan Burns, Braxton Haggith, Curtis McKay, Brett Harrison, Justin McLelland, Will Ducharme Front row: Bat boy Sawyer Kennedy, Tristan Kennedy, Jack Morris [/templatic_contentbox]
“Once is great, twice is awesome, and a three-peat is a legendary feat!”
Head Coach Moe Lawrence and his London Badger Minor Bantam baseball squad had a AAA three-peat OBA championship in mind all season long. But it was a quiet goal of sorts. Unlike past seasons, the group of 13 and 14-year-olds found themselves in unfamiliar territory, playing their regular seasons in the 15U division for both the Premier Baseball League of Ontario (PBLO), and in the London District Baseball Association (LDBA).
It was a .500-type season, and at times it was difficult to see the progress of the team – given the bigger, stronger, and more experienced competition (including players old enough to drive themselves to the ballpark). But as the boys travelled east to Etobicoke the weekend of Sept. 1-3 for the 14U Ontario Baseball Championships, it didn’t take long to see how much positive growth the team achieved as they resumed play against competition their own age.
The Badgers started the weekend with a 7-2 victory over the host Etobicoke Rangers, and followed that up with two mercy wins Saturday over Hamilton (13-3) and North York (15-1). Sunday morning brought rain delays and London’s first loss of the tournament, as they fell 9-4 to the Waterloo Tigers, but they quickly bounced back later in the afternoon with another convincing 5-inning mercy win over Hamilton (14-3) to advance to the finals. A rematch with Waterloo ensued, but the outcome this time was a 10-0 shutout Badger mercy win to clinch the team’s third consecutive AAA Ontario Baseball Championship!
Congratulations to all the players, coaches and families for this remarkable accomplishment!
Submitted by the London Badgers
