North Delta Pirates Fall in Extra-Inning Semi-Final Battle, Exit Sussex All-Star Tournament with Heads Held High
KAMLOOPS, BC — The North Delta Pirates bid for back-to-back Sussex All-Star Tournament championships came to a dramatic end Sunday morning, falling 6-3 in an extra-inning heartbreaker to the North Fraser Nationals College Prep team.
In a game that saw the Pirates chasing from the opening frame, it was grit and resolve that defined their performance. Trailing from the first inning through to the seventh, the Pirates refused to go quietly. With two outs in their final turn at bat, Cole James sparked life into the North Delta dugout with a clutch RBI double that scored Kesler Curtis. Moments later, Noah Saunders delivered a game-tying single to knot the score at 2-2 and send the semi-final into extras.
The comeback stirred a wave of belief among the Pirates’ faithful — a sense that perhaps, despite the odds, North Delta was destined for another shot at tournament glory. But the dream was short-lived.
The top of the eighth inning saw North Fraser’s offense explode. Isaac Hansen, who had already been a thorn in the Pirates’ side with a third-inning RBI single, came through again with a two-run double to break the deadlock. Nicholas Wong followed with a two-run double of his own to stretch the lead to 6-2, and the Pirates couldn’t claw back.
North Delta managed one run in the bottom of the eighth, but the damage was done — and so ended their quest for a second consecutive Sussex title.
Still, there was plenty for the Pirates to take pride in this weekend. Their run through the round robin included signature wins over elite-level opponents, including a statement victory against third-place Kamloops RiverDogs College Prep — a 17-7 club in BC Minor’s top division — and a takedown of Alberta’s top-tier AHP Rustlers Baseball Academy. The Pirates also held a commanding lead over the PBL’s UBC Junior Thunder before deliberately resting several starters in a game that ultimately had no effect on their tournament standing.
The semi-final loss does not define this group. Rather, their resilience, unity, and ability to compete with — and defeat — top-tier programs underscores the heart and capability of a squad that continues to test above its grade.
Dakota Simicak was a workhorse in relief for North Delta, tossing five-and-one-third innings, allowing just five hits and two runs while striking out six. Starter Noah Grant was solid through two-and=one-third innings, with both runs scored against him going down as unearned.
Offensively, James, Saunders, and Connor Wilson each tallied an RBI for the Pirates, while defensively the team turned a crisp double play. Hansen finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs for North Fraser, while Wong went 2-for-3 to help seal the win.
Though they exited one game shy of the final, the Pirates leave Sussex knowing they stood tall among giants. As they turn their attention to the provincial championship next month, the lessons of this tournament — the perseverance in tough spots, the moments of belief forged through adversity — will serve them well.
As one North Delta supporter put it: “Strength doesn’t come from winning. It comes from refusing to quit.”
And if this weekend proved anything, it’s that the Pirates are just getting started.
For more information about the North Delta Pirates, visit www.northdeltapirates.ca. Follow the team on Instagram (@northdeltapirates), Facebook, and Twitter (@piratesnd) for exclusive content and updates throughout the season.
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Matt Grant
Director with the North Delta Pirates
northdeltapirates@gmail.com
