West Canada walks off with win

Josh Sternberg singled through a drawn-in Poland infield and drove home the deciding run in the West Canada Valley Indians’ 5-4 season-opening victory over the Tornadoes Monday.

The Indians had led 2-0 and 4-3 but Poland rallied to tie the game in the tops of the sixth and seventh innings. Alex Maxwell led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single down the right field line, stole second base and moved to third on an overthrow. With a 3-1 count on Tyler Porter, the Tornadoes elected to intentionally walk the Indians’ cleanup hitter and Nate George, as well, to set up force outs at all bases. Sternberg then fouled off the first pitch he saw from Kyle Lawson before stroking his game-winning hit into right field.

West Canada Valley had plated two runs in the first inning. Thomas Roberts reached base on an error leading off and Troy Moody singled. Brandon Tabor struck out the next two Indians before George laced a single into left field and gave the home team the early two-run lead.

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