WEYBURN — The Weyburn Beavers are back in the Western Canadian Baseball League win column.
Logan Lynch shut down the Medicine Hat Mavericks for seven innings and the bullpen did the rest, combining for a 5-0 one-hit victory in Medicine Hat.
Weyburn snaps a four-game losing skid and improve to 6-8, moving into a tie with the Regina Red Sox for fourth place in the East Division, four games back of the Moose Jaw Miller Express for first. Medicine Hat falls to 7-10 and drop to fifth place, five games out of first.
The contest was the lone game for Saskatchewan teams on the night, as the first-place showdown between the Express and Saskatoon Berries in Saskatoon was rained out, as the contest between the Regina Red Sox and Swift Current 57’s in Swift Current. Both will be replayed at a later date.
Lynch got the impressive pitching performance started by going the aforementioned seven innings, giving up a single hit to Eric Calder to lead off the sixth, striking out four and walking three. Walks and other defensive miscues saw Medicine Hat get runners into scoring positions in the first, third and sixth, innings, but Lynch escaped the jam each time.
Neither of the Beavers’ relievers gave the Mavericks a chance for a rally, as Zach Raichel retired the side on eight pitches in the eighth and Josh Pritchard struck out two of the batters he faced in the ninth to finish things off.
Ryan Dauphinee gave the Beavers all the offence they’d need in the third inning, hitting a two run home run and going 2-for-4 with two runs scored on the night. Joe Madill, Jared Kramp and Anthony Cortese scored Weyburn’s other runs.
Brandt Spencer had a decent start of his own for Mavericks, allowing three runs on two hits in 4 ⅔ while striking out five and walking two. Davin Hinote pitched 1 ⅓ scoreless innings, Jackson Miller allowed two runs while finishing things off.
Action for Saskatchewan teams continues on Thursday with Weyburn at Saskatoon (7 p.m.) and Moose Jaw at Regina (7:05 p.m.).
