The Estevan TS&M peewee AA Tornadoes opened the season by playing doubleheaders on the road against the Swift Current 57s and the Regina Buffaloes.
The first game against the 57s was the closest, as they lost 7-6. Then they dropped a 22-12 decision in the second. Both games were played over six innings.
Coach Ryan Siever said they played really well in the top of the first inning of Game 1, as they forced the Swift Current pitcher to toss 29 pitches.
“We went out and we swung the bats well, right off the hop, which I was really happy with,” said Siever. “The boys came out there ready to go, and they put the ball in play, which is what we’re asking them to do all the time.”
Leadoff hitter Derek Weinrauch got on base with a hit and eventually scored, which Siever said put the 57s on their heels.
In Game 2, the Tornadoes scored a couple runs early once again, and the pitchers threw strikes. But the Swift Current batters hit the ball well and found the gaps.
“The thing that we were really happy with in Game 2 was they had us a couple of times where they could have ended the game on a mercy rule score, and we were able to come back and score some runs in the top half of the inning,” said Siever.
Scoring 12 runs isn’t easy, Siever said, but the 57s outhit the Tornadoes.
The Tornadoes then dropped 19-0 and 12-6 games against the Buffaloes. The first game was called after 4 1/2 innings due to the mercy rule. The other went the full seven innings.
In the first game against the Buffaloes, the pitchers threw strikes, Siever said, but the Tornadoes committed some errors in the field.
“In Game 2, the defence was a lot better,” said Siever. “We cleaned it up a lot more and made some better defensive plays. We didn’t commit as many errors.”
Siever noted they were up 6-4 through four innings, thanks to a strong pitching performance by Mason Fichter, and then they had a tough inning in the fifth.
“We were throwing some guys (on the mound), just to see where we’re at with our pitchers … at the start of the year, and to see what we need to work on,” said Siever. The pitchers threw the ball really well during the weekend, he said, as they threw strikes and they gave the defenders a chance to defend.
The Tornadoes will host Swift Current on Saturday for games at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Cactus Park. Then they will visit the Melville Millionaires on Sunday.
