MOOSE JAW — If things keep going the way they are for the Moose Jaw Miller Express and Saskatoon Berries through the last few weeks of the Western Canadian Baseball League season, it could be a long stretch indeed for their opponents.
Both East Division leaders kept up their winning ways on Sunday, with Moose Jaw taking an 18-11 win over the Brooks Bombers and Saskatoon rolling to a 10-1 win over the Swift Current 57’s.
Other action for Saskatchewan teams saw the Weyburn Beavers sneak past the Lethbridge Bulls 1-0 and the Okotoks Dawgs down the Regina Red Sox 8-7 in an extra inning.
As a result, Saskatoon and Moose Jaw remain tied for first in the East with identical 25-11 records, while the battle for the final playoff spot continues with Weyburn in fourth at 13-21, Regina a half game back at 13-22 and Swift Current in sixth with an 11-22 mark.
Moose Jaw 18, Brooks 11
A six-run second inning and three-run seventh saw the Express holding a 12-4 lead, but the Bombers rallied with six runs in their half of the seventh to get back into things. Moose Jaw promptly replied with six of their own the next inning, though, snuffing any hopes of a comeback for the hometown team.
Will Edwards had a 3-for-7 outing that included a grand slam in the second inning, while Jacob Mraz went 3-for-4 with a round tripper, three runs scored and four runs batted in. Chris Franks also hit a home run in the first inning, finishing 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI, Garryn Plummer had a pair of hits and knocked in four, Thomas Soto went 4-for-5 and crossed the plate three times.
Westin Walls was the winning pitcher, allowing four runs on six hits over six innings and striking out seven.
Brooks showed plenty of power of their own, with the majority of their runs coming off a pair of grand slams — one from Jose Vargas in the first inning, the other from Eric Mora in the seventh. Mora finished 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs, three runs and five RBI, Vargas ended up 2-for-5 with two runs and four RBI. Maverick McAllister also hit a home run and finished with a pair of RBI.
Paulo Martell was the losing pitcher after giving up eight runs on six hits in the first three innings.
Saskatoon 10, Swift Current 1
The Berries blew open a low-scoring pitcher’s duel with three runs in the fifth, two more in the sixth and three more in the seventh before eventually cruising to the comfortable win.
Ethan Murdoch had an outstanding game for Saskatoon, going 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs, two runs scored and four RBI, while Mason Roell had a 2-for-4 outing that included a double, two runs scored and three RBI. Brock Laird also knocked in a pair, Nash Nichols crossed the plate twice.
All that was more than enough for Saskatoon starter Diego Quinonez to find the win, as he’d put up a quality start by allowing a single run on four hits over six innings, striking out five. Brody Wrench, Clay Mixon and Carter Kopp each had a scoreless inning of relief, with Swift Current picking up only five hits.
Jake Hiromoto scored the 57’s lone run in the sixth inning, Rydell Adair picked up a pair of hits.
Keagan Knowler was the losing pitcher after giving up four runs on three hits over 4 ⅔ innings.
Okotoks 8, Regina 7
The back-and-forth battle saw Regina pick up a run in the eighth to tie the game 6-6 and eventually get things to the extra inning, where a Jacob Wrubleski sacrifice fly would score Cal Gates with the game-winning run.
Regina got the tying run in scoring position in the 10th, but Raine Kreklewetz would be gunned down at home for the final out of the game.
Justin Simard went 5-for-6 with a double, two runs and an RBI for the Red Sox, Jake Fowler 3-for-5 with a pair of runs, Lance Anderson 3-for-5 with an RBI. Alex Roux scored a pair of runs and knocked in two, Brady Bye also had a pair of hits.
Caleb Orr started for Regina and allowed five runs on four hits over five innings, David Gordon took over in the sixth and pitched four innings, giving up a single run on three hits. Fowler was the losing pitcher after allowing the two runs in the extra inning.
Wrubleski finished 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs and four RBI for Okotoks, Aidan Dougherty crossed the plate three times, Cal Gates had a pair of RBI.
Korey Alston got the start for the Dawgs and allowed five runs on seven hits over 3 ⅔, Brody Barnett tossed the final 2 ⅓ and was the winning pitcher.
Weyburn 1, Lethbridge 0
The Beavers prevailed in the lowest scoring game of the season in the WCBL, with Robert Gurney knocking home Brayden Mayencourt with the lone run of the contest in the bottom of the eighth.
That was enough for Bill Hosegood to pick up the victory for the Beavers thanks to two innings of shutout relief, but not before an absolutely stellar outing from Zach Raichel to get to that point. Raichel would end up tossing seven shutout innings, scattering four hits and striking out 12 in taking the no decision.
Adryen Teitz was solid in his own right as the Bulls starter, giving up three hits over 5 ⅔ while striking out five. Bryce McGuire was the losing pitcher after giving up the run in the eighth.
Xander Meisser had a pair of hits for the Bulls.
Up Next
There are two games involving Saskatchewan teams on Monday, with Swift Current at Medicine Hat (6:45 p.m.) and Lethbridge at Weyburn (7:05 p.m.).
