The Estevan KPC mosquito Sluggers went 2-2 in their recent home games.
They split two games against the Regina White Sox on June 13, winning the first contest 10-8 and dropping the next game 10-6. The following day, the Sluggers played a doubleheader against the White Butte Broncos and lost the first game 9-6, but won the second matchup 13-3.
In the first game on June 13, Estevan scored early and had a 2-1 lead after the first inning.
Tanyan Strudwick got the offence going with a smack to the fence in right field, which he turned into a home run, capitalizing on the errors committed by Regina.
Pitcher Derek Weinrauch threw a scoreless second and third inning and the Sluggers were still clinging onto a one-run lead heading into the bottom half of the third.
Mason Fichter led off with a hit to right field and stretched it into a home run, after the White Sox repeated throwing errors.
Later in the inning, with two on, Ty Hoste hit a two-out single, which scored both runners, giving Estevan a 5-1 lead.
After Regina pulled within one in the fourth, Weinrauch cashed in two runs in the bottom half of the inning and the Sluggers scored another to lead 8-4.
After adding a couple of runs in the fifth inning, coach Ryan Siever reminded his team to focus on getting outs and worry about the batter and not the base runners.
“We try to let them know that getting a run or two against us doesn’t hurt us. You only need three outs, so if you can give up a run for an out – we’ll definitely take that,” said Siever.
In the second game, Siever said the Sluggers faced tough pitching, which contributed to the loss. He also added, Regina hit the ball well and led throughout the game.
Even though Estevan scored runs late in the game, Siever said he noticed the mental mistakes and his team didn’t seem as though they were ready to play.
The following day, during the Sluggers first game against the Broncos, Estevan fell behind by five runs in the first inning.
Siever said it looked like they were going to escape that inning only allowing one run, but walks and errors in the field led to the extra runs.
Even though the Sluggers couldn’t complete the comeback, Siever liked the way the team tried to recover.
“The kids battled back, and for the most part the defence, after that first inning, started playing well, making the right plays and getting the right outs.”
The Sluggers rebounded in the next game and mercied White Butte in four innings.
After scoring two runs in the first inning the Sluggers added another eight in the second to lead 8-1.
In the second inning, with one out, the Sluggers had the bases loaded and scored two consecutive runs from passed balls committed by the Broncos.
Later in the inning, with the Sluggers leading 6-1 and again with the bases loaded, they scored another two runs on passed balls.
The Sluggers had a 13-3 lead after the fourth inning, and the game was called since they were up by four runs.
Hayden Lavoie pitched all four innings for the Sluggers and Siever said Lavoie threw a tonne of strikes and the Broncos weren’t making good contact.
Overall, Siever was impressed with the way the Sluggers ran the bases during all four games, advancing bases and scoring on the errors committed by the Broncos.
“Anytime there was an overthrow we got that extra base out of it, and we were really smart on the bases.”
The Sluggers are in White City on June 21, for another doubleheader against the Broncos.
