The Southeast Performance Pump Twins picked up a win and two losses in their first three home games of the season.
The Twins won their home opener on May 10 in an 11-0 rout over the Regina White Sox at Tom Laing Field in Weyburn. But then they dropped two, by scores of 9-5 and 14-6, on May 13 against the Saskatoon Giants at Lynne Prime Park in Estevan.
The Twins came out strong against the White Sox, as they scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning. The White Sox kept the Twins off of the scoreboard in the second and third innings, but then the Twins scored four in the fourth and two in the fifth.
The game was called at that point due to the mercy rule.
Each batter who dressed for the Twins in the game produced at least one run.
Rhett Nikolejsin knocked in three runs while Jose Reyes brought in two runs and also scored twice.
“We couldn’t seem to do anything wrong against the White Sox,” said coach Kent Phillips. “The guys came out and scored five runs in the first inning, so any time you can do that to the opposing pitcher, that puts the team down, and it deflates them right away.”
Luke Niemegeers pitched all five innings to get the win. He allowed just one hit and four walks.
The game was also a fundraiser, as the Twins raised $2,600 for the family of Weyburn’s Nathan Roemer. The Roemers are trying to purchase a service dog for the boy.
Phillips said it was great to see how many people supported the family.
“I know the White Sox coach even gave a donation,” said Phillips. “After the game was over, and we were done shaking hands, one of the White Sox players went and grabbed some money out of his ball bag, and came over and gave us an extra five bucks.”
As for the games with the Giants, the visitors scored five times in the top of the third inning of the first game to break open a scoreless contest, and then they added runs in the fourth and fifth innings. The Twins made it a 7-4 game with three runs in the bottom of the sixth, and then the Giants outscored the Twins 2-1 in the seventh.
Walker Happ paced the Twins offence with three hits and three runs batted in.
Brett MacMurchy started for the Twins, and gave up seven runs, six of them earned, in five innings of work. Hunter Perkins pitched the final two innings and surrendered two runs.
“It took a little while for the bats to get going (in Game 1), and then they made some costly errors that definitely cost us some runs,” said Phillips. “Minus the errors in the first game, I think we could have won.”
The Giants scored in each inning of the second game. They led 5-0 in the fourth inning, but the Twins rallied with five in the fourth to tie the game. The Giants then scored two in the fifth, three in the sixth and four in the seventh, while the Twins only mustered one in the sixth.
Tyren Dorrance brought in four of the six runs for the Twins.
Nikolejsin was on the mound for the first five innings, and surrendered seven runs, four earned, but he also struck out seven. Alex Kerr and Reyes each pitched one inning in relief.
The Twins were slated to visit the Muenster Red Sox on Sunday, but the game was called off due to rain.
Their next action in league play will be May 27, when they will visit the Regina Wolfpack for a doubleheader, and then they will host the Regina Athletics for two games on May 28 at Lynne Prime Park.
