The Coquitlam-flavoured Fraser Valley (District 3) Cyclones whipped their way to the B.C. Senior (15-16) Little League provincial championship Saturday at Langley's Walnut Grove Park.
The Cyclones -- comprising 10 Coquitlam players, three from Whalley and one each from Langley and Fort Langley -- defeated the North and West Vancouver Monarchs (District 5) 8-2 and 8-7 to sweep the best-of-three series and give them a berth in the national finals starting Aug. 2 in Regina.
In Game 1, Allen Velten cranked two doubles and drove in four runs to spur the Cyclones to the six-run win. Winning pitcher Ben McCarthy went five-and-two-thirds innings, allowing only two runs on four hits while striking out five. He also helped is own cause offensively by knocking in a pair of runs.
In Game 2, the Cyclones bounced back from a 4-2 second-inning deficit to take an 8-6 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning, when the Monarchs scored on a two-out wild pitch to make things tight.
Velten again led the Cyclones at the plate, launching a double and finishing with three RBI.
Cyclones' starting pitcher Shane Younker struck out nine, allowing six runs on four hits. Younger also lashed a single to drive in the seventh and eighth Cyclones' runs for the margin of victory.
Aidan Davies came on to close the game and seal the title allowing one run on one hit and fanning two.
