A tough first inning cost the Estevan TS&M peewee AAA Tornados baseball team in their first home game of the year on Sunday at Cactus Park’s Dayman Trucking Co. Ltd. Diamond against the Regina Buffalos.
Trevor Dutka, coach of the Tornados, said the team got off to a slow start in their 13-1 loss to the Buffalos, which is something the boys have been doing all season. He said it seems the kids are just not mentally prepared for the start of games and that has to change moving forward.
The Buffalos’ Carson Foster scored the first run of the game on a bases loaded infield single by Kaleb Waller. Thomas Puetz and Oudie-Senger Zander quickly crossed the plate after that on passed balls by Tornados pitcher Kyler Dutka. Three straight walks then brought in Taylor Unrath before the top of the first inning was stopped after six runs on a wild throw to first base that allowed Pierce Kayton and Boston Unrath to score.
“My philosophy with these peewee age boys is just to get the bat on the ball,” said Buffalos coach Jeff Puetz. “Just have fun. If you see something you can hit, put the bat on it, hit it hard and good things will happen.”
Zander, the Buffalos starting pitcher, struck out the side in the bottom of the first, which was followed in the top of the second by a towering home run by Thomas Puetz over the left field fence that also scored Jake Orthner. The Tornados got on the board in the bottom of the second on a double to centre field by Derek Weinrauch that allowed Hayden Lavoie to cross the plate.
Weinrauch took the mound to begin the third inning where he shut down the Buffalos offence with three straight putouts. The starting left fielder remained the Tornados pitcher for the final two innings of the game allowing five runs, but continually keeping the ball in play and opportunities open for an out. Zander pitched the full five innings of the game striking out six batters.
“Zander, he’s a great kid,” said Puetz. He’s a “big strong kid. He loves pitching and did a wonderful job of pitching today.”
Dutka said the Tornados, who are back in the Baseball Regina League after a short hiatus, are improving and that can be seen in each of their first three games including the loss to the Buffalos. He said the hope is the kids will continue to work hard over the course of the next two months giving them a strong push towards a possible league and provincial championship in July.
“We want to improve every day, every game, every practice,” said Dutka. “As long as we’re improving and the kids are learning then us coaches are doing our job and as long as the kids are having fun doing it it’s a great day.”
