Unicanvas de Thetford Secures Victory Against Big Bill of Coaticook

Unicanvas de Thetford commenced its short two-out-of-three series against Big Bill of Coaticook with a resounding victory of 4-0 on Thursday evening at the Desjardins Stadium.

Michel Simard, the veteran pitcher, delivered a complete game, allowing only five hits and striking out 11 batters. Simard expressed that the primary focus was on securing a win, stating, ‘It went well, but what mattered most was winning. Everyone aimed to secure the victory in game one, and mission accomplished.’

Simard, who will celebrate his 43rd birthday soon, mentioned that he was not hindered by the long gap since his last start. ‘We had two good practices during that time, and I faced teammates, which helped me maintain some activity,’ he explained.

The pivotal moment of the game came in the fifth inning when Unicanvas scored three runs, including two on a double by Louis Gendron. Gendron commented, ‘My goal was to hit a single to bring in the two runs, so I am even happier with a double, but winning is what ultimately matters.’

At the start of the fifth inning, the visitors filled the bases, potentially shifting the game’s momentum. Nevertheless, Simard struck out Samuel Rajotte to end the threat, demonstrating a strategic approach in pitching. ‘It could have had an impact, but we had a good plan for the last batter,’ stated Simard.

Gendron, who caught the pitches from Simard, praised the veteran’s pitching. ‘It is impressive how he approaches the game. He knows how to attack batters and get them out without necessarily overpowering them with speed.’

The locals initially scored in the fourth inning due to a wild pitch from Sora Sakashita, who had previously silenced the Thetford attack. Coach Renaud Desjardins reflected, ‘We might have been a bit rusty since it had been a while since we played, and the same goes for the other team, but it had been some time since our players faced a genuine pitcher.’

The second game of the series, initially scheduled for the evening of Friday, August 30, at the Julien-Morin Stadium in Coaticook, has been rescheduled to Saturday, August 31, at 2:30 PM. Jonathan Paquet, who recently won gold with the Quebec team at the Senior Baseball Championship, is set to be the starting pitcher. If necessary, a deciding game will occur on Sunday at Desjardins Stadium at 6 PM.