Ancaster Diamondbacks miss playoffs at Canadian Little League Championships

Representing Ontario at the Canadian Little League Championships in Calgary last week, the Ancaster Diamondbacks Major little league team finished out of the playoffs, with a 1-5 record.

The team of 11- and 12-year-olds qualified for the tournament after winning the Ontario championship in Ottawa last month. It was the first time Ancaster has ever won its way to the national tournament, after qualifying as a host team in 2010 and 2019.

The Diamondbacks dropped the opening game, 8-2 to team Alberta, then lost 8-4 to host Team Rocky Mountain. Ancaster then defeated Team Atlantic 7-4, before dropping its remaining games to Quebec (16-6), Team Prairies (5-0) and British Columbia (13-0).

Team British Columbia, represented by Little Mountain Baseball All-Stars, emerged victorious from the seven-team tournament and will compete as Team Canada at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

The Ontario champion Ancaster Diamondbacks Major team includes coaches Sean Hall, Ryan Green and Jamie Brown and players Broxton Adams, Evan Armstrong, Jacob Ault, Wesley Boyd, Chase Brown, Keegan Green, Brady Hall, Christian Hall, Matteo Hall, Andrew Hopcraft, Josh Hopcraft, Lily Putignano and Liam Smart.