The Western Major Baseball League (WMBL) Yorkton Cardinals, currently sitting in the East Division cellar, have had a rough start to the 2011 season winning two of their first eight games.
The Cardinals second win came at home to the visiting Moose Jaw Miller Express as the Cardinals overcame a five run second inning deficit to score a come from behind 10-6 win.
The Cardinals rally began in the third inning with two runs scored, followed by a one run fourth and a three run fifth inning to go ahead 6-5. A four run seventh while holding the Miller Express to one run in the seventh lifted the Cards to a 10-6 win.
Max McDonald claimed the win while Moose Jaw's Brennan Luffman was tagged with the loss.
David Hole, who scored two runs, led the way with three hits in four trips to the plate. Jon Mihic and Landon Briscoe each scored a pair of runs while James Green, Ryan Meek, Luis Sanchez and Kevin McLeod each scored a run for the 10-6 win.
Unfortunately for the Cards, their next three games weren't quite as successful.
Yorkton, who had a one run 3-2 lead after the third inning, watched the game slip away as the visiting Melville Millionaires scored one run in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh inning to claim a 6-4 win.
Robert Rivers, who came in as middle relief, was handed the loss while John Markley claimed the win for Melville.
Yorkton's runs were scored by Sanchez who crossed home plate twice while Green and Briscoe each scored a run.
The Weyburn Beavers were in town Thursday to take on the Cardinals in their third meeting of the season. The Beavers scored a run in the first inning, one in the third andf three in the eighth to come away with a 5-3 three win over the Cardinals who took a 2-1 first inning lead.
Luis Lora took the loss while Weyburn's Alex Gale earned the win.
Yorkton runs were scored by Green, Hole and Sanchez who each scored once.
Sunday the Cardinals travelled to Melville where the hometown Millionaires batters jumped on Cardinals pitchers early pounding out 13 hits and taking a six run lead after two innings. The Mils added two in the seventh and three in the eighth on the way to an 11-2 win.
Mason Reynolds claimed the win for Melville while Lora was credited with the loss.
Yorkton's runs were scored by Green and Briscoe who each came home twice in the game.
Yorkton Cardinals assistant coach Jared Franklin says the Cardinals pitching was a positive in the game but Melville hit the ball well. Franklin admits depth in the pitching staff is a bit of a concern.
The Cardinals have one more pitcher to arrive and are still trying to sign a couple of pitchers, he reports.
Referring to the come from behind win over the Moose Jaw Miller Express, Franklin says the bats were working and both the pitching and defense were solid in the game. The key, he suggests is to see the pitchers relax as they become more accustomed to the league and the team. "Hopefully they'll get more relaxed, get more confident, get into the rhythm, get into the zone," he suggests.
In his first year in the Western Major Baseball League, Franklin says he's impressed with many of the players, particularly the shortstops. "I think every team has a pretty darn good shortstop," he states.
He's also impressed with the batting. "Typically it takes guys 10 to 12 games to adjust to wood bats but everybody seems to hit well. "That's surprising," he says.
Franklin who hails from Columbus, Ohio, was looking for a summer job in Ohio when he received the offer to coach in Canada with the Cardinals.
A former baseball player, Franklin who has degree in architecture, loves baseball and wants to make a living coaching the game. He spent seven years working behind a desk in architecture and coaching on the side. Now in his 10th year in coaching, Franklin says, "Man, if I can make a living coaching baseball, I'll never work a day in my life."
It looks like he might just manage to do that this year. In September he coached at Laredo, Texas and is currently coaching the Yorkton Cardinals. "I feel like I've been on vacation since last September," he closes.
