Austin's Darcy Buhler helped power the Team Central baseball team to a gold medal at the Power Smart Manitoba Summer Games.

Team Central finished the tournament with a perfect record after thumping Team Winnipeg Blue 8-3. Buhler slammed a home run in the victory.

In preliminaries, Team Central thumped Winnipeg Blue 7-1. Winnipeg led 1-0 heading into the fifth, but Central posted five in that inning and added two more in the seventh. Central then beat Westman 9-8 after nearly letting an 8-2 third-inning lead slip away.

Central then smashed Team Interlake 14-1 in the semi, powered by a six-run sixth inning.

Buhler, who plays out of Gladstone, enjoyed his time with the team.

"It was very fun," said Buhler, a right fielder and pitcher. "I was a little surprised that we won the gold medal.

"There were teams I thought would be a little better than we were."

Buhler said he won't be mistaken for a slugger, but was glad to mash a dinger in the team's biggest game.

"It felt pretty good because I don't hit many home runs," said Buhler. "(The pitch) was right down the centre of the plate, a high strike."

"I was pretty pumped about it. I was happy, and the whole team was happy."

For more, please see Thursday's edition of the Central Plains Herald-Leader.

dan.falloon@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: PDGdfalloon