August 10, 2021

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The Langley Blaze captured the B.C. Premier Baseball League (BCPBL) championship on Aug. 1 with a resounding 13-1 win over the Victoria Eagles at McLeod Athletic Park.

Second baseman Nathan Kirkpatrick had three of the Blaze’s 14 hits in the title-winning contest and also knocked in five runs with a double and two singles. Jacob Zibin added two hits, two runs and three RBIs for the Blaze, while right-hander Tom Poole started and went the full six innings, allowing just four hits, while striking out five. Poole also went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk at the plate.

The contest remained close through four innings, with the Blaze leading 3-1, before they exploded for six runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth.

The Blaze, under head coach Jamie Bodaly, had advanced to the championship game with a convincing 8-1 win over the White Rock Tritons in the semi-final. Poole also helped propel the Blaze to a victory in that game, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a triple and three runs while serving as the team’s DH. Shortstop Pierce Radke pitched in with two hits and two RBIs for the Blaze, while right-hander Jacob Sedun went the distance, holding the Tritons to two hits and one run, while fanning seven batters.

The Blaze, who hosted the tournament, posted a 3-1 record in round-robin play, registering wins over the North Delta Blue Jays, Victoria Mariners and Parksville Royals.

Their sole loss of the tourney was a 3-2 defeat to the Coquitlam Reds in their first game.

The Blaze also finished atop the BCPBL regular season standings with a 19-5 record.

Poole, who excelled on the mound (1.54 ERA) and at the plate (.364 batting average) for the Blaze this season, was named the club’s 2021 Team MVP.