The North Battleford Beavers took on the North Saskatchewan River Baseball League's top team Tuesday night and a slow start cost them.
The Border City Blue Jays were flying out of the gate. They scored four runs in the long top half of the first inning of the provincial round robin zone game.
Jared Inkster had good control for the Beavers, consistently pounding the strike zone, but the Jays hitters had a good read on his pitches and were hitting the ball hard. He was able to strike out two in the inning to limit the damage.
In the bottom of the first, the Beavers offence wasn't able to register any runs, going three up three down. The team ran into strong pitching from the Blue Jays.
Inkster settled down a bit in the top of the second inning. He gave up a walk, but also induced three groundball outs for a solid inning.
Matthew Benson was able to belt a one-out double in the Beavers' half of the inning, but it was followed up by a flyout and lineout to end the inning.
The Blue Jays offence was back at it in the third. Their first four batters reached base safely, scoring a run in the process. With the bases loaded, Inkster was able to get a double play, but a run scored on the play. The Blue Jays cashed their seventh run soon after with an RBI single before Inkster was able to end the inning with a pop up.
Caught in a seven-run deficit, the Beavers weren't able to help their cause in the bottom of the third inning. They struck out twice and popped out in a quick inning. The Jays' pitchers were able to draw plenty of pop ups throughout the game.
David Miller came in to pitch the fourth inning for North Battleford. The Jays were able to get back-to-back singles to start the inning, but Miller got the next batter to fly out. The next two batters struck out as Miller mixed his slow, looping curve ball and sneaky fastball to throw off the timing of the Jays batters.
The Beavers got one man on base in the bottom half of the fourth, but first base is as far as they would get in another strong inning of pitching for Border City.
Miller was strong once again in the fifth. He registered his third strikeout and got two groundouts to sit the Jays batters down quickly.
With time now running out for the Beavers in the bottom of the fifth inning, down 7-0, the team wasn't able to solve the strong pitching for Border City. Tyler Russell was able to hit a single with one out, but a pop up and a strikeout followed to end the inning.
Aaron Cadrin took over pitching duty in the sixth inning for North Battleford. He gave up a two-out single, but was perfect in his two innings of relief otherwise.
It was getting down to do or die time for the Beavers in the bottom of the sixth. After Cadrin struck out to start the inning, the team's MVP, Kyle Gregoire, cranked a home run over the wall. After playing a strong game defensively in centre field, Gregoire did his best to get the bats going, but it wasn't enough.
Aside from a double in the seventh inning, the Beavers weren't able to threaten offensively. The Blue Jays' lead was too much to overcome and North Battleford ended up losing 7-1.
With the loss, the Beavers were eliminated from the provincial zone playoffs and the Blue Jays advanced after going 2-0, also beating Wilkie.
The Beavers will need to put the loss behind them quickly. They are back in action Thursday evening against the Lloydminster Juniors in the NSRBL playoffs. After beating the Juniors in game one Sunday, a win would clinch the series for the Beavers.
In the other playoff series; the Meadow Lake Sox are up one game on the Unity Cardinals with game two set for Wednesday night, the Lloydminster Twins are up one game on the Wilkie Brewers, game two in that one is also set for Wednesday and game one of Border City versus the Midwest Expos goes Wednesday night as well.
Statistics from Tuesday's game:
Jared Inkster - Pitching: 3 IP, 7 ER, 2 K, 5 BB Batting: 0-1
David Miller - Pitching: 2 IP, 3 K Batting: 0-2
Aaron Cadrin - Pitching: 2 IP Batting: 0-3, 1 K
Kyle Gregoire - Batting: 1-3, 1 HR, 1 K
Rory Gregoire - Batting: 0-2
Matthew Benson - Batting: 1-1
Brad Eischen - Batting: 1-3
Tyler Russell - Batting: 1-3
Ryan Shepherd - Batting: 0-2, 1 K
Brennan Lampitt - Batting: 0-2, 2 K
Blair Geering - Batting: 0-1, 1 K
C.J. Miller - Batting: 0-1, 1 K
Donovan Baxter - Batting: 0-1
