The North Battleford Beavers had the chance to finish their first round North Saskatchewan River Baseball League playoff series against the Lloydminster Juniors Thursday night, but a late collapse cost them the game.
The Beavers took game one of the series 6-1 Sunday in Lloydminster and were looking to close it out at home.
North Battleford faced adversity early. Starting pitcher David Miller hit the first batter of the game and followed that up by giving up a single. With leadoff batter Reid Flasch now on third, Landon Noyes was able to cash him with a sacrifice fly. The Juniors pushed it to 2-0 when Matt Rau belted an RBI double. Miller got out of the inning when he caught a wicked liner right at him.
Aaron Cadrin led off the bottom of the first for the Beavers with a walk, one of three in the game, and quickly made his way to second with a stolen base. After Kyle Gregoire struck out, Brad Eischen ripped a single. Cadrin came roaring around third base aggressively looking to cut down the Juniors lead. Lloydminster executed perfectly defensively and caught Cadrin at the plate, keeping the Beavers scoreless in the inning.
After some trouble in the first inning, Miller settled in nicely in the second. He got the first two Juniors batters to strike out. The first after swinging at a sharp curveball in the dirt. The second also came via the curveball, this time looking as the pitch started high and came in right at the knees. Miller also induced a groundout to end the quick inning.
The Beavers came out strong in the bottom of the second. All game the team utilized small ball, taking bases any way they came and working their way home. Rory Gregoire led off by being hit by a pitch, his arm looked to be in pain, but a stolen base after a Tyler Russell strikeout was evidence he was OK. Brennan Lampitt made his way to first base the tough way, also being hit by a pitch. The team was issued nine base on balls in the game. A wild pitch put runners on second and third with only one out when Derrick Chapman hit a grounder, which Rory Gregoire was able to score on. Brandon Gregoire followed up by also being hit by a pitch, and Lampitt scored on another wild pitch. Cadrin, Kyle Gregoire and Eischen were all walked with Brandon Gregoire scoring in the process. With the bases loaded, Jared Inkster was able to hustle down the first base line for an infield single, scoring the Beavers' fourth run. The inning was ended when Rory Gregoire flew out in his second bat of the inning. The ball was hit hard, but right at a Juniors outfielder.
Lloydminster's offence came out in the third looking to get their lead back. Flasch led the inning off with a bunt, which Miller fielded perfectly and threw out the speedy leadoff hitter at first base. Brett Kustaski walked and Noyes followed up by hitting a bullet through the infield. Rory Gregoire made a phenomenal diving stab and was able to throw out Brett Kustaski at second base for the second out of the inning. Noyes made it to second on a pitch in the dirt. Cole Kustaski followed up by hitting the ball hard to centre. A run scored when the usually sure-handed Kyle Gregoire couldn't make the grab as he was running back towards the fence. Unfazed, Gregoire threw a bullet to catch Cole Kustaski trying to make his way to third.
The Beavers went down quietly in the bottom of the third. Lloydminster led off the fourth with a Rau walk. Trying to steal second, Rau was caught when Russell made a perfect throw to get the first out. Miller would give up another walk, but got out of the inning without giving up any runs.
North Battleford threatened in their half of the fourth. After a strikeout, Cadrin was able to earn another walk, followed quickly by a stolen base. Kyle Gregoire also walked, a familiar scene in the game. Eischen reached on a fielder's choice, then stole second, but Inkster grounded out to end the inning.
Lloydminster was able to get a runner to second base in the fifth, but Miller got the final two batters of the inning to flyout and pop out to end the threat.
Three quick groundouts made for a short bottom half of the fifth for the Beavers.
Kyle Gregoire came in to pitch the sixth and the Juniors capitalized on some early control troubles. The first two batters reached base after being hit by a pitch and walked. Lloydminster, like North Battleford, used small ball in their comeback effort. Two straight bunts were able to cash a run, tying the game at four.
The Beavers were unable to get any runners on base in the bottom of the sixth, giving Lloydminster the opportunity to complete the comeback in the seventh. Gregoire struck out the first batter of the inning before running into control problems again. After issuing a walk and hitting a batter, Gregoire was replaced by Cadrin, who was forced to pitch out of a jam. Right away the Juniors pulled off a double steal. With runners on second and third and only one out, Lloydminster was able to take the lead on a wild pitch. Noyes followed up with a walk. Cole Kustaski hit a sacrifice fly to give the Juniors a 6-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.
North Battleford wasn't able to get anything going, striking out three times with a Blair Geering single being the lone bright spot of the inning.
There's no time to dwell on the loss, the teams are back in action Friday night in Lloydminster with the series on the line.
The Beavers and Juniors series wasn't the only one going on Thursday night. The Meadow Lake Sox swept their series against the Unity Cardinals with a 2-1 victory. The Wilkie Brewers were swept by the Lloydminster Twins after a close 8-7 loss.
In the other series, the league's best regular season team, the Border City Blue Jays, currently lead their series against the Midwest Expos 1-0 after a victory Wednesday. Game two is Friday night.
Statistics from the game:
David Miller: Pitching - 5 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 K, 4 BB
Kyle Gregoire: Pitching - 1 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 0 H, 1 K, 5 BB Batting - 0-2, 2 K, 2 BB
Aaron Cadrin: Pitching - 2/3 IP, 0 H, 1 BB Batting - 0-1, 3 BB, 2 SB
Brad Eischen: Batting - 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB
Jared Inkster: Batting - 1-3, 1 RBI
Rory Gregoire: Batting - 0-2, 1 BB, 1 SB
Tyler Russell: Batting - 0-3, 1 K
Brennan Lampitt: Batting - 0-2, 1 BB
Derrick Chapman: Batting - 0-3, 1 RBI
Brandon Gregoire: Batting - 0-2, 2 K, 1 BB
Donovan Baxter: Batting - 0-1, 1 K
Blair Geering: Batting - 1-1
Matthew Benson: Batting - 0-1, 1 K
