Canucks U18 AA Split Saturday Afternoon Double Header
Photos and story by Robert Thomas
The Moose Jaw Canucks U18 AA split a double header with the Saskatoon Athletics on Saturday afternoon with a result that could be described as black and white with very little grey in the middle.
In game one of the double header the Athletics jumped ahead with an eight run lead. And despite their best efforts to whittle away at the lead the Canucks fell 10 - 7.
The Canucks make up some ground on the Athletics who had an 8 - 0 lead at the top of the fifth inning.
Moose Jaw would score three runs at the bottom of the fifth inning making the score 8 - 3 for Saskatoon.
The Canucks would score four more runs in the sixth inning but were unable to make a successful comeback.
Game two of the double header was the exact opposite with the Canucks bats waking up leading the Moose Jaw squad to a 14 - 9 victory.
Canucks’ starting pitcher Riley Cushway
The double hitter split kept the Canucks’ hopes alive to capture the eighth and final play off berth. That position is currently held by the Regina who they meet this coming ?????
Game Two Report
The first inning saw the Athletics score a single run.
The Athletics would get their first hit on the second pitch by Canucks starter Riley Cushway.
The Athletics would steal second base and score on a pass ball.
The three outs by the Canucks were two groundouts and one strike out.
In their half of the inning the Canucks would score three runs to take the lead.
A strong run from Riley Cushway managed to beat the forced play at second base.
Hudson Tallon would hit a double over the head of an Athletics outfielder to score a run.
Two pass balls at home plate would see the Canucks capitalize with two runs.
The Canucks would strand rwo runners at first and second bases to end the inning.
The second inning saw no scoring by either team.
The Canucks had a sure base hit and potential rally wiped out when the Athletics third baseman Connor Schappert intercepted what looked like a certain base hit and threw out the batter at first base.
The score after two innings was Canucks 3 and Athletics 1.
Canucks batter Hudson Tallon beats the Athletics first baseman in the race to the bag
The third inning saw both teams offences come alive.
The Athletics would load the bases and score on a hit.
With the bases loaded the Canucks would end the inning with the third out to first base stranding three base runners for the Athletics.
The Canucks would score two runs in the third inning.
Spencer Craig would hit a strong ground ball and beat the throw to first base.
Craig would however be thrown out at third base. The first of two successful pickoffs by the Athletics.
With the bases loaded the Canucks would score two runs stranding two at the end of the inning.
The fourth inning would see the Athletics come alive.
A fielding error saw Saskatoon get on the bases.
A pass ball advanced the runner.
A stand up triple off the wall by the Athletics’ Ajay Briska scored the slugger 2 RBIs.
A strong single would score another Athletics’ run.
Saskatoon would strand a runner on third base.
The score was 5 - 5 after the Athletics’ turn at the bat.
Canucks’ third baseman Tryton Legalise looks to make a play on the Athletics base runner
A pitching change by the Athletics - who have two double headers on the weekend - saw the Canucks bat come alive with eight runs.
In the inning the Athletics first baseman found himself in a foot race to the bag with Hudson Tallon. Tallon would be safe a full step ahead of the out.
Tallon would scoot down the bases and steal second.
A strong single by Craig would earn him an RBI.
With one out a walk would load the bases.
A wild pitch would hit the Canucks’ batter in the back scoring a run.
A hit by Tyson Ross accompanied by an error by the Athletics scored two more Canucks’ runs.
Cushway would hit a strong stand up double scoring two more runs.
The Athletics would pull their reliever after only 1/3 of an inning of work.
An attempt to get to home resulted in the Canucks second out.
The inning ended with a strike out.
The score after four innings was Canucks 13 and the Athletics 5.
With the Athletics within two runs of a mercy finish Saskatoon came alive in the fifth inning.
A fielding error would put Regina on base.
Moose Jaw would turn a double play, one of the few in the season.
Regina would end up scoring two runs in the fifth inning to stave off a mercy finish.
The Canucks would go scoreless in the inning.
Canucks shortstop Spencer Craig misses a throw as the Athletics ‘ base runner Elliot Berezilski stretches to touch second base safe
The sixth inning would see a seemingly revitalized Athletics team continue the comeback from a visibly tired Canucks team.
The standup play of the inning was a play at the plate with Canucks bat catcher Jesse Lesperance tagging out the Athletics Tavon Delorme.
A walk would result in the bases being loaded.
The Athletics would score three runs to cut the Canucks lead to only four runs.
The Canucks would score a single run to make the score 14 - 10 for Moose Jaw.
Regina would be unable to start any offence in the seventh inning.
The final score was Canucks 14 and the Athletics 10.
Canucks head coach Zachary Klyne said he had mixed feelings about the double header.
He said he wasn’t happy telling the team in the post game meeting “we aren’t going to win many games with 13 walks.”
“We had a couple of two run innings and then a one running inning so it wasn’t all in one inning though which is nice,” Klyne said, adding “we kind of spread it out but we just couldn’t manage the comeback.”
Holy cow a stolen base - Canucks’ Ryder Hicks slides between the legs of an Athletics player safely to second base
“I think our pitching has just got to throw more strikes and let them hit. We’ve got a good defence at times and make us make the errors and not the pitchers.”
In the latter stages of the double header’s second game the call was for the pitchers to throw pitches generating ground balls and likely outs rather than hits.
Coordinating pitching with the defence is important for the Canucks.
“Our (starting) pitcher for the second game Riley Cushway he is a good pitch to contact guy. He cannot overpower anyone so we have to make sure our defence is ready to play when he pitches because there’s going to be lots of hits. So we have to be ready to field it.”
Canucks bat catcher Jesse Lesperance about to tag out the Athletics’ Tavon Delorme on the way to home plate
Klyne said in game two the team played a little bit better than game one.
“We threw the ball around a bit but when we needed them our defence made the play.”
The Canucks had very few errors in the game.
“In this one I think we had only two (errors) but they were little easy ones that they probably should have made,” he said. “There was a couple of times when we threw the ball around and gave them free bases but for the most part they were pretty clean that second game.”
The big eight run fourth inning was indicative of how the games could either explode in the Canucks favour or implode in the team’s demise.
“It’s nice we got that big inning it’s kind of nice as they got tired near the end. That eight run inning kind of brought the juices back in the dugout. It got everyone ready to finish the game Klyne said.
Canucks Kyren Ernest slides in safely at home as batter Spencer Craig (right) looks on
The Canucks had the Athletics two runs away from a mercy rule victory only to see it slip away.
“Me and the other coaches were talking in the dugout that nothing is ever easy for this team. We are going to be up eight runs and then probably win the game by two or three runs.”
Klyne said other than two or three teams in the top of the league with only two or three losses that there is parity amongst other teams.
“Everyone under fourth (place) is around 500 (for the season).
The Canucks sport a 7 - 12 record just out of eighth place and a trip to the playoffs.
The Canucks next game is a big one where they are taking on Regina White Sox that is one position ahead of them in the standings.
The Canucks are in a must win situation when the two teams meet this Tuesday in Regina.
A Canucks win will vault them into the eighth and final playoff spot with one home game remaining in the season.
A game standout player for the Athletics was third baseman Connor Schappert who played a great defensive second game of the double header.
In this play he chases down what should have been a sure hit for the Canucks
The Canucks next home game is scheduled for June 26th at 6 pm versus Assiniboia at Ross Well Park.