The Carillon Sultans needed three outs.

Three outs from recording a huge game one victory over the defending Manitoba Junior Baseball League champion Elmwood Giants Sunday night at Koskie Field in Winnipeg.

The Sultans came up one out short.

Brendyn Perron scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly and Adam Nocita beat out a double play ball that allowed Sean Willerton to cross the plate with the winning run as the Giants defeated Carillon 2-1 in game one of their best-of-five semifinal.

Elmwood got a massive break to start the seventh when Perron's routine ground ball to Liam Lenton, which should have been the first out of the inning, took a "Giants" bounce and sailed six feet over the Sultans second baseman's head for a single.

"It started to spiral after that," said Carillon manager Alex Grenier. "We had balls that we could make plays on that we didn't make plays on. It's tough when you're only three outs away."

Nik Kauenhofen was brilliant in the series opener.

The Sultans game one starter didn't allow a hit until the bottom of the fourth and also drove in Carillon's lone run with an rbi single in the top of the fifth inning.

The bad news from the opener - the Sultans hit into three double plays and the defense committed four errors.

Despite all that Grenier says his ball club is right there with the defending champions.

"We know that we can beat them. We had them again and we keep giving it away. Deep down they know, they know they can win."

Jared Esau will get the start tonight (7 p.m.) in game two at A.D. Penner Park in Steinbach.

"There's no reason for our guys not to be ready," said Grenier. "To know that they can play with these guys should be enough motivation for them to come ready to play."