TOTALSPORTSQUINTE.CA
Team of the month Quinte Royals 14U Baseball
6
Photo by Elizabeth Stephens
By: Chris Lisle for Total Sports Quinte Mitch Sills #72, Bryce Mitchell #17, Curtis Kerslake #9, Oliver, Brackenbury #37, Marcus Forbes #34, Christian Fonger #22, Owen Ferguson #13, Jacob Briscoe #27, Nathan Soules #53, Colby Coe #4, Ben Demille #2, Cole Baird #11, Colin Stephens #7 Head Coach - Chris Lisle, Assistant Coaches - Steve Sills & Noah St Bernard
The Quinte Royals 14U team’s journey began in the late fall of 2020. As Covid restrictions relaxed and a plan was in place for a ‘return to play’, tryouts began in late august for the 2021 season. The team and coaches were excited to get to work preparing for the EOBA season ahead. A winter lockdown changed our plans as many teams in all youth sports experienced. Through video workouts shared with coaches, everyone remained focused and engaged in their training, as we waited for spring. Indoor training at the Loyalist Dome allowed the team to get together to workout once the lockdown lifted. As plans for an EOBA season began to take shape, the Royals worked out individually through one more lockdown, then hit the field together. The coaching staff set out a plan to develop depth at all positions, especially pitching/catching. Our season opening double header vs. Peterborough was a great test against a strong Tigers team. Mitch Sills started on the mound in game one, with Jacob Briscoe coming in to close. The two pitchers combining for 5k’s. The Royals lost game one 11-4 but had many positives to take away. The runs were scored by Colby Coe, Cole Baird, Marcus Forbes and Colin Stephens. Game two of the Peterborough double header went much better for the Royals as Nathan Soules, starting pitcher and Cole Baird combined for 5k’s. Royals let a 4-1 lead slip away in a couple of shaky innings late in the game. Runs scored: Curtis Kerslake, Mitch Sills, Ben Demille, Jacob Briscoe. Marcus Forbes went 2 for 3 with one RBI. The Royals made a trip to Cobourg for a date with the Northumberland Jacks. Ollie Brackenbury started for the Royals and was dominant through four innings with 6 strikeouts. CJ Kerslake came in as middle relief with Colin Stephens closed out the 8-6 win for the Royals with 3 strikeouts of his own over two innings. Runs scored by Bryce Mitchell, Mitch Sills, Marcus Forbes (2), Jacob Briscoe, Oliver Brackenbury, CJ Kerslake. It was a great ball game with two well matched teams. Next up for the Royals was a double header in Kawartha vs the Cubs. Jacob Briscoe, Cole Baird and Colin Stephens combined for 4 k’s in a 11-5 loss in game one. Cole Baird was 2 for 3 with two runs scored. Christian Fonger was 1 for 1 with a stolen base and Owen Ferguson had an RBI. Game two of the double header, Soules and Stephens combined for 4 k’s and the Royals bounced back for a 10-8 win. Runs score: Bryce Mitchell x3, Cole Baird, Jacob Briscoe, Nathan Soules, Owen Ferguson and CJ Kerslake. Clutch two-out hitting was the key to the great overall team effort.
Pickering Red Sox visited Bayshore Field in Trenton for a single game. Quinte rolled four pitchers against the Red Sox, starting with Oliver Brackenbury for 4 innings. Brackenbury handed the ball over to Colby Coe, Ben Demille and closer Bryce Mitchell. The four Royals pitchers tallied 11 K’s allowing just 4 hits and 7 walks. They were backed up by solid defense in a great team effort and pulled off a 9-2 win. Mid-July brought a date at home with the Clarington Orioles. Both teams are similar in pitching depth as well as a speedy outfield. In game one of the double header Mitch Sills was dominant through 5 innings before handing the ball to Nathan Soules to close out the 2-1 win for the Royals. Sills and Soules combined for 12 K’s, 2 hits and 5 walks. Marcus Forbes and Ollie Brackenbury scored for Quinte. Owen Ferguson had 1 RBI. Game two did not disappoint, with stellar defense from both teams. Jacob Briscoe, Colby Coe, Cole Baird combined for 6k’s, allowed 10 hits and 6 walks. CJ Kerslake, Bryce Mitchell, Mitch Sills scored. Kerslake went 3 for 3 with 1 run and a RBI. Clarington splits the DH with a 5-3 thriller over the Royals. The Royals pitching depth began to show after the Clarington DH at home, as the Royals made the trip the next day to visit Whitby. Oliver Brackenbury got the start, before handing over the ball to Bryce Mitchell for 2 innings work and Colin Stephens closing out the effort. The Royals were down 5-2 mid-game before rolling through the order in the 6th scoring 7 runs. Royals added one more in the 8th to win 108. Royals plated Bryce x3, Sills, Kerslake, Coe, Ollie, Stephens, Fonger and Ferguson. Two strong hitting teams!! On the long weekend, the Royals wrapped up the July with the Ajax Spartans coming to town. Game 1 starter, Nathan Soules was solid through 4 innings before turning the effort over to Jacob Briscoe. The two Royals pitchers combined for 9 k’s 4 hits and 5 walks. It was a solid defensive game for both teams. The Royals pushed Sills, Coe and Fonger across the plate to take game 1, 3-2. Christian Fonger started the 5th with a single to left, followed by Sills who was hit by pitch. This set the table for Marcu Forbes’ two out laser to right field scoring both Fonger and Coe. Game 2 starter, Cole Baird had an excellent outing through 4 innings before Mitch Sills came in to close. The Royals and Spartans tied 7-7. Runs scored by Royals: Sills, Baird, Briscoe, Soules, Brackenbury, Coe. August scheduling is complete for our Royals and all games will set the standings for playoffs or a proposed Championship Tournament for the EOBA Championship.
