SPRINGHILL, N.S. – Two Springhiller’s, Carter Sharpe and Aidan McBurnie, compete this weekend at the U13 National Atlantic Baseball Championships in Summerside, PEI.
They play for the Truro U-13 AAA Bearcats; and both say they have a good chance to win it all.
“We did really good as a team at provincials,” said McBurnie. “We all hit good, and our 12th hitter hit a home run over the fence, so that was good to see.”
Eight teams, two from each Atlantic province, compete in Summerside, and Sharpe says a strong work ethic is what has helped propel the Bearcats to the Atlantic championships.
“We have a great coach and a great group of kids playing, and we practice in Truro two or three times a week, with games on top of that,” said Sharpe.
Sharpe and McBurnie have played with the Bearcats for three years, and both competed with the team at the 2016 Atlantic championships after winning the Nova Scotia provincial title during their rookie season with the Bearcats.
McBurnie pitches and plays shortstop for the Bearcats.
“My curve ball is good and I have a pretty fast fastball,” said McBurnie.
Sharpe is a pitcher and a catcher. He says he’s a better catcher than a pitcher but likes pitching better.
“Pitching is fun because you get to control the game,” said Sharpe.
Both players are 13-years-old and attend the same class in Grade 8 at Springhill High School.
Both say it’s good to have another Springhiller on their team.
“The first year I didn’t know anybody down there and it was nice to have somebody I knew,” said Sharpe. “Now I’m in my third year, so everybody knows each other.”
“And traveling together is good,” added McBurnie.
The championships run from Thursday to Sunday.
The Truro Bearcats schedule is as follows:
Thursday at 8:15 a.m. – Bearcats vs. Capital District (PEI 1)
Thursday at 1:45 p.m. – Bearcats vs. Fredericton (NB 1)
Friday at 1 p.m. – Bearcats vs. Mount Pearl (NL 2)
Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Semi-final matchups
Sunday at 10 a.m. – Bronze Medal Game
Sunday at 1 p.m. – Gold Medal Game
