Ellliott: Hipolito, Irving, Morales square off in Colorado

INF Jackson Irving, left, of the Dawson Community College Buccaneer,RHP Noah Hipolito (Mississauga, Ont.) of the Northeastern College Plainsmen and C Elijah Morales (Mississauga, Ont.) with Dawsn were all on the same field — like the old days.

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

The games were played at Plainsmen Park in Sterling, Col.

Yet from all the familiar faces the four-game series could have been played at Martin Dobkin diamond in Mississauga.

The Dawson Community College Buccaneers of Glendive, Mont. were visiting the Northeastern Community College Plainsmen in JUCO play.

Former Mississauga Southwest Twins and Mississauga Majors INF Jackson Irving and C Elijah Morales (Mississauga, Ont.) were in the Dawson dugout, while RHP Noah Hipolito (Mississauga, Ont.), a former Brampton Royal, was with the host Northeastern team. How the series unfolded ...

_ C Morales doubled in three runs and Irving singled and scored in a 7-5 loss to Northeastern in the opener of the doubleheader.

_ Jackson singled and knocked in a run in an 11-5 loss in the second game of the doubleheader.

_ Irving, the son of former Toronto Maple Leaf 2B Mike Irving, who know lives in Glenwood Springs, Col. knocked in a run in a 15-4 loss to Northeastern in the opener of the doubleheader the next day.

_ Morales singled in the second game of the double dip, a 12-2 loss. Hipolito took over with two out in the sixth, walked the first hitter he faced, went to a 2-0 count and was removed.

Northeastern is 24-7 and Hipolito is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in four games, striking out one and walking four.

Dawson has a 5-22 record. Irving is hitting .200 with five doubles, a homer -- which would have been out at Dobkin -- 24 RBIs and a .618 OPS in 30 games. Morales, who spent part of this winter as a bullpen coach with the Nicaraguan senior team, owns a .159 mark, with a double, four RBIs and a .530 OPS in 25 games.