CHARLOTTETOWN – The P.E.I. Junior Islanders’ season will be on the line Friday.
The Islanders face a must-win situation in Game 4 of the best-of-five New Brunswick Junior Baseball League semifinal series against the Chatham Ironmen at Memorial Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. An Islanders’ win will force a deciding fifth game in Chatham, N.B., on Saturday night.
The Ironmen overcame a 3-1 deficit to win Game 3 at home by a 6-3 score on Wednesday night to take a 2-1 series lead.
At Ironmen Park, Chatham struck first as its first three hitters singled to start the game versus P.E.I. starter Porter Smith. Zach Newman’s bases-loaded walk gave the Ironmen a 1-0 lead.
Josh Myers’s solo homer in the third inning pulled the Islanders even. The Islanders would take a 3-1 lead in the fifth on an RBI single from Riley Gallant, and an RBI groundout from Myers.
Answer right back
Chatham answered right back in the bottom of the fifth. Mike McKay drew a leadoff walk, and then Jake Cook dumped a single to right. Smith struck out Nick Noel, but Newman blasted a three-run homer to right-centre field to put the Ironmen ahead 4-3. Chatham would add two insurance runs in sixth inning against Smith and reliever Nolan Hicken.
Zach Gosse went the distance to earn the pitching win, surrendering seven hits and two walks while striking out three.
Smith was touched up for seven hits, six walks and two hit batsmen, but managed to wiggle out of trouble until the later innings.
Myers and Chandler Laporte each had two hits for P.E.I. Matt Barlow and Jed Noonan chipped in with singles. Cook had two hits for Chatham.
