The Southeast Performance Pump Services midget AAA Twins went into a month-and-a-half long slump after getting a road split in a doubleheader against the Swift Current Indians at Mitchell Field on June 4, but earning a split in the rematch at Lynn Prime Park on Saturday might have gotten them out of it.
“Absolutely and I mean not just these games,” said Twins shortstop Josh Brown, who drove in the second and winning run against the Indians in the back end of the doubleheader. “The last two this week we feel really good (about). Even the 3-2 loss (to the Regina Athletics) on Thursday we feel really good about that game. We really feel we’re pushing into provincials on a good run right now.”
Unlike the Twins’ doubleheader against the Indians in early June where the club took the first game 6-3 and fell in the second 11-6, the team lost their first game on Saturday 7-5 before dominating the second in the field, on the mound and in the batter’s box to earn a 3-1 win.
“The errors were a big thing,” said Twins head coach Blaine Kovach. “Two errors in that first game in the first inning, that’s what cost us the game right there. Those extra two runs made the difference in the game I think. Carter (Sorensen) pitched well and our bats came alive at the end. We were trying to come back and those two runs made a big difference compared to the second game where we got up and we stayed up and played flawlessly.”
The Twins (12-17) got into trouble in the top of the first inning during their final home game of the season against the Indians with runners on first and third and one out, but Twins pitcher Luke Niemegeers got the opposition to hit a grounder to second baseman Dahlyn Klassen who flipped the ball to Brown at the bag for the second out before firing to first baseman Ryan Gaab to end the threat. The play seemed to switch the momentum to the Twins’ side for the rest of the game with Niemegeers firing strikes and the home side’s bats coming alive starting with a drive to deep right field by Nate Smart that scored Sorensen in the bottom of the third inning.
The Indians (13-13) pushed back in the top of the fourth inning scoring the tying run before loading the bases with one out, but another 4-6-3 double play got them out of trouble. Brown then put the Twins ahead for good in the bottom of the fourth.
“I was thinking fastball for sure,” said Brown. “He threw a lot of fastballs to me. He didn’t really give me any off speed that whole game, so I was looking to hit into right centre. I was looking for a single, but I’ll take the double for sure.”
The Indians seemed to tie the game once again in the top of the fifth inning with starting pitcher Ethan Warkentin scoring from third base on a sacrifice fly to centre field, but it was ruled he left the bag early resulting in an out. Warkentin then walked in the insurance run in the bottom of the sixth before the Twins ended the game on a third 4-6-3 in the top of the seventh.
“When our pitcher can throw that many double plays for us it really makes a big difference,” said Brown. “Keep your pitch count down as a pitcher and as a team it feels good to roll two.”
Kovach said the players were just pushing too hard in the past month and a half and starting to stress out a bit resulting in their 3-8 record since June 4. He said they’re kids and they’re going to make errors, so being able to stop worrying about it during the games has helped them get back on track over the last week.
“They’re figuring out how to relax a little bit more and take things in stride,” said Kovach. “They got to learn that. Everyone is going to make an error. You’re going to make a bad pitch. You’re not going to always get on base. Once they can figure that out, they’ll be a lot better.”
