North Delta Pirates push to 2-0 with 9-5 victory over highly-touted AHP Rustlers Baseball Academy in Sussex All-Star Tournament
KAMLOOPS, B.C. — In a key matchup Friday evening at the Sussex All-Star Tournament, the North Delta Pirates moved one step closer to defending their tournament title, defeating the AHP Rustlers Black squad 9-5 in round robin action.
With the win, the Pirates improve to 2-0 and are now virtually assured of securing the top spot in Pool A. Their final round robin matchup comes Saturday morning in a crossover game against the UBC Thunder Jr. PBL squad—a late addition to the tournament after the Webber Wildcats withdrew. Regardless of the outcome, the Pirates are expected to feature in a semi-final contest on Sunday morning.
North Delta wasted no time jumping ahead, plating two runs in the top of the first on a two-run single by Cole James. They extended their lead in the third, with James drawing a bases-loaded walk and Lucas Stebbings following with a single to center to drive in another.
The Pirates’ offense was steady throughout, with both James and Stebbings driving in two runs apiece. Tevin Bentley and Noah Grant led the hit parade with two knocks each, while the team’s plate discipline was on full display—drawing 11 walks overall. Tyler Conway and Dakota Simicak each reached base three times via the walk.
Liam Jones got the win on the mound, allowing four runs over five and two-thirds innings despite not recording a strikeout. He issued two walks and scattered four hits before turning things over to Connor Wilson in relief.
The Rustlers mounted a sixth-inning rally, scoring five times on five hits. Spencer Bosch and Sloan Reid each drove in a pair, and Burke Felkar added an RBI single to cap the outburst. But it wasn’t enough to overcome North Delta’s early lead.
Defensively, the Pirates were sharp and clean, committing no errors. James was a standout in the field, handling 12 chances flawlessly.
With momentum building and their sights set on another championship run, the Pirates will look to stay unbeaten in Saturday’s final round robin tilt before aiming for a return to the tournament final.
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
