After starting the season with a couple of disappointing losses, the Canora Supers baseball team has managed to rally back with five consecutive victories, with the most recent coming at the hands of the Russell Bulls, Swan River Reds and Willowbrook Royals.
In Canora on May 26, the Supers defeated the Russell Bulls 2-1, said Greg Andreychuk, player coach for the Supers.
“It was one of the best-played ball games in recent memory at Al Sapieha Field, as both teams played well defensively and got excellent starting pitching as Matt Totte of the Bulls and Adam Korb of the Supers were lights out,” Andreychuk said.
Totte pitched six shutout innings, while Korb threw seven innings allowing just one run on two hits to get the victory.
Hot hitting Travis Mentanko came up big in the clutch with two on and two outs in the bottom of the seventh and deciding inning, he said. He laced a base hit into right centre field to seal the win for the Supers.
Kody Rock had two base hits for Canora, while Greg Andreychuk, Evan Rostotski, Derek Palagian and Terry Cumming each had one hit.
In Swan River on May 28, the Supers defeated the Swan River Reds 16-7.
The weather was cool but the Supers’ bats were red hot as they pounded out 16 hits for the victory, he said. Chris Newans and Travis Mentanko were the offensive catalysts. Newans was three-for-five with three doubles, five RBIs and three runs scored. Mentanko had two singles, a double, three RBIs and three runs scored.
Jordan Bieber, Terry Cumming, and Tom Cook each had two hits for the Supers. Clint Maduck, Greg Andreychuk, Jordan Bieber and Carson Cook, who was making his debut for the Supers, each had one hit.
Darcy Blommaert continued his solid pitching on the season, picking up the win. He went five innings allowing six hits, three unearned runs with three strikeouts.
The Supers outscored the Willowbrook Royals 12-5 in Canora on May 30.
After three and a half innings, the Willowbrook Royals led 5-1 and things looked bleak for the blue and red, Andreychuk said. A couple of errors and timely hitting by the Royals in the top of the fourth was almost an obstacle the Supers could not overcome. But in the bottom of the fourth, the Supers did not panic and took advantage of a couple fielding miscues, erupting for seven runs while never looking back in a 12-5 victory.
The crushing blow took place in that very bottom of the fourth by Travis Mentanko as he sent a moon shot well over the right center field fence to give the Supers the lead. It was his second home run of the contest as he demolished a solo shot in the first inning. Mentanko finished the game with three hits, three runs scored and four RBIs.
Kody Rock continued his stellar season at the plate with another multi-hit game as he had a single, double and two runs scored, he said. Adam Korb continues to swing a hot stick with two hits and three RBIs. Jordan Bieber had a double and two RBIs, while Tannum Wyonzek scored two runs to round out the Supers’ attack, The Supers collected 12 hits in total.
Derek Palagian went the distance on the mound allowing five runs (two earned), nine hits, one walk and an impressive 10 strikeouts to pick up his second win of the season.
With the victory over the Royals the Supers now are on a five-game winning streak, and hoped to make it six in a row on June 2 in Yorkton versus the Parkland Padres.
