After shutting out the visiting Willowbrook Royals 10-0 at home, the Alexanders' Junior Cardinals extended their unbeaten streak in the South East Senior Baseball League (SESBL) to five games Thursday evening, steamrolling the Melville Bison 7-3 to win their first five outings in the SESBL.
Matt Poier started on the mound for the Junior Cards, holding the Bison to one hit in the first inning. Poier pitched for five and a third innings before Craig Kinvig came to close.
Tyson Nesbit started Cardinal scoring in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI single to left field, driving in Logan Calanchie.
Ross Stillborn hit an RBI double to left field to drive in Calanchie in the home half of the third inning. Stillborn advanced to third on the throw to home plate.
In the fourth inning Stillborn hit an RBI single to centre field in his second trip to the plate to bring home Luke Boechler, advancing Jayden Shwaga to third base.
Nesbitt came to the plate and pounded out a two RBI double to drive in Shwaga and Stillborn.
The Bisons threatened at the top of the fifth as an error by the Junior Cards third baseman loaded the bases for Melville.
Jared Waldbauer hit a two RBI single to drive in a pair of runs by Chris Kruzer and Jason Heinmiller.
One inning later, Jess Franklin drove in Kruzer to give the Melville Bison three runs.
Junior Cardinals head coach Brian Trollope says Melville gave his team a good game. He credits Melville with always putting together a strong team. "It was a good game and we need the competition. A blowout game is no fun for anybody," Trollope suggests.
Junior Cardinals assistant coach Mark Jacobs says Cardinals batting was solid. "Tyson Nesbitt went three for three and hit every ball hard," he recalls.
Matt Poier, credited with the win, pitched a strong game for five and a third innings.
Defensively Jacobs admits the Cardinals booted the ball around a bit late in the game but Kinvig came in and got the timely outs to out the game away for Yorkton.
Sunday the Junior Cardinals start their Optimist Junior League season with a double header in Weyburn. While Trollope says he doesn't know much about Weyburn, he thinks they should be a strong club. "They've only played one game against one of the Regina teams. It was a 12-8 game so it sounds like they're pretty competitive.
Next weekend, after an SESBL game against the Yorkton Yankees at home, the Cardinals will continue junior league play with a double header against Southey Saturday and will take on the Raymore Rockets in another home double header at Jubilee Park Sunday.
