MIRAMICHI, N.S. — The Chatham Ironmen will play for a national title tonight on their home field with a trio of Islanders on the roster.
The Ironmen defeated British Columbia 3-2 Sunday morning in semifinal action to advance to the Canadian senior men's baseball final against the winner of the Quebec-Dartmouth, N.S., contest. The gold medal game is slated for 7:30 p.m.
New Glasgow’s John Patrick (J.P.) Stevenson allowed two runs, including one unearned, on six hits in five innings of work. He struck out three. Andrew Case struck out four in two innings of relief while allowing one hit to record the victory.
British Columbia scored single runs in the first two innings. Chatham cut the deficit in half in the second inning and scored two in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead.
St. Peters Bay resident Dillon Doucette started the sixth-inning rally with a single and scored the tying run as Devan Thomas followed Doucette by hitting a two-run homer. Jeff Watkin had two hits for the Ironmen.
Shawn Schaefer took the loss, allowing three runs, one unearned, on seven hits in six innings.
Stevenson’s older brother Jordan is also part of the Ironmen’s pitching staff.