MOOSE JAW -- Another weekend of Sask Premier Baseball League action, another two commanding wins for the Moose Jaw 15U AAA Canucks.
Fresh off an impressive showing at the Webber Academy 15U Spring Classic in Calgary, the Canucks returned to league action on Saturday and picked up right where they left off, rolling to 11-8 and 14-2 victories over the Saskatoon Astros in Saskatoon.
The two wins came on the heels of a 3-1 showing at the Spring Classic, where Moose Jaw lost their opener 10-9 to the eventual champion Webber Wildcats before defeating the Edmonton Expos 10-0, Okotoks Outlaws 22-7 and St. Albert Cardinals 14-4.
Moose Jaw is now a perfect 9-0 in SPBL action and have scored more than 140 runs over their last 10 games in league and tournament action.
Canucks 11 Astros 8
Moose Jaw found themselves in a battle in their doubleheader opener in Saskatoon and were tied 6-6 heading into the final frame.
As they have all season, the Canucks would find a way to come through, with Lucas Lind hitting a two-run home run to key a four-run inning. Lind then took over on the mound with one out in the bottom of the seventh and would get out of a jam with a pair of strikeouts to secure the victory.
Neal Kohl led the offence with a 2-for-4 game that included a pair of runs and three runs batted in, while Daxton Chesney was 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs and two RBI. Lind and Emery Schoenroth also crossed the plate twice each.
Jax Bubnick led Saskatoon with a 3-for-3 game that included two runs and an RBI. Keason Larocque added a two-run home run as his lone hit of the game.
Kohl got the start on the mound for Moose Jaw and allowed five runs on four hits over five innings and struck out seven before giving way to Taylor Usher, who allowed three runs on four hits in 1 ⅓ innings of work.
Kesler Thiessen and Pike Thoms each allowed five runs over the first 6 ⅓, Nick Ross gave up a run while getting the final two outs.
Canucks 14 Saskatoon 2
Things weren’t nearly as close in the rematch, as after building a 7-2 lead through four innings, the Canucks would send 12 batters to the plate and score seven runs, invoking the mercy rule.
Both Kohl and Lind had solid games at the plate, with Lind going 2-for-2 with two doubles two runs and three RBI while Kohl was 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Chesney and Kaiden Gadd each scored a pair of runs.
The Astros had only three hits largely thanks to Lind’s showing on the mound, as he picked up where he left off in Game 1 and allowed only two runs on a single hit while striking out 10 in four innings. Chesney mopped up, allowing two hits in the final inning.
No member of the Astros had more than one hit.
Jake Hoffman started for Saskatoon and allowed a run in the first inning, Hudson Korte surrendered three runs over the next 1 ⅔ , Bubnick another three runs over 1 ⅓ and Brody Dust gave up the seven runs, three earned, in the final inning.
Moose Jaw is back in action Tuesday when they host the Swift Current 57’s, with game time 6:15 p.m. at Blackwell Diamond. The Astros play again Thursday when they host the East Central Dodgers.
