With the Western Canadian Baseball League playoffs rapidly approaching, every win and loss for teams fighting for a playoff spot in the East Division looms large.
The Regina Red Sox and Weyburn Beavers are two of the teams looking to finish in fourth place or higher in the Division and land a postseason berth, and thanks to a doubleheader split on Friday night and losses by their immediate rivals, both were able to gain ground.
Weyburn took an 11-9 win in the twinbill opener before Regina came back with an 8-4 win in the nightcap. Other action from teams in the playoff race saw the Moose Jaw Miller Express take a 12-2 win over the Medicine Hat Mavericks and the Saskatoon Berries roll to a 13-2 win over the Swift Current 57’s.
As a result, Regina is now 22-27 on the season and 2 ½ games up on 21-31 Medicine Hat in third place, while Weyburn sits at 19-30 and are a half game back of the Mavericks for the fourth and final playoff spot. Swift Current is still in the hunt as well despite sitting at 18-33 and in sixth place, as they’re only 2 ½ games back of Medicine Hat.
The Red Sox have seven games remaining on their schedule, while the Mavericks have four, Weyburn seven and Swift Current five.
Moose Jaw leads the entire WCBL with a 37-13 record and are two games up on 35-15 Saskatoon for the East Division lead.
Weyburn 11, Regina 9
A six-run third inning staked the Beavers to a 9-6 lead, but Regina would rally with three runs in the sixth to tie things up. Weyburn saw to it there would be no extra innings, though, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to secure the win.
Ryan Dauphinee led the Beavers with a 2-for-4 outing that included a home run, double, two runs and four runs batted in. Robert Gurney went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs, while Will Sevier was 3-for-5 with a run and crucial seventh-inning RBI. Noah Brooks had three hits and scored two runs, Trevor Dale knocked in a pair.
Josh Pritchard got the start for Weyburn and allowed nine runs on 11 hits over six innings to earn the win, Trey Watson tossed a scoreless seventh for the save.
Brady Bye went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI for the Red Sox, Dan Castellanos knocked in three runs. Ian Montz crossed the plate twice and had two RBI, Carson Cox and Jake Fowler each scored a pair of runs.
Kris Hahn started for Regina and gave up nine runs, seven earned, on 12 hits in 2 ⅔ innings, Vittorio Iacobucci pitched 3 ⅓ innings of scoreless relief. David Gordon took the loss after giving up the runs in the seventh.
Regina 8, Weyburn 4
The Beavers scored three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 3-2 lead, but the Red Sox came right back with six runs in their half of the inning to go ahead for good.
Fowler hit a triple for the lone extra base hit for Regina in the nightcap, finishing 3-for-4 with a pair of runs. Castellanos went 3-for-4 with a run and RBI, Ty Martinez knocked in a pair of runs.
Sam Jackson had a solid outing for Regina on the mound, giving up three runs on eight hits over five innings and striking out seven to earn the win.
Colt Uphold hit a pair of doubles and had an RBI for Weyburn, who had eight of their nine starters get at least one hit in the game. Hugh Montgomery was 2-for-3 and scored a run, Robert Gurney hit a double for his lone hit and had an RBI.
Maddock Day got the start for Weyburn and was the losing pitcher after giving up six runs on nine hits over 4 ⅓ innings.
Moose Jaw 12, Medicine Hat 2
The Express scored all the runs they’d need with four in the second inning before adding three in the sixth, three in the seventh and two more in the eighth to finish off the mercy-rule win.
Moose Jaw starter Sean Bavis was a big reason for that, as he turned in a quality start, giving up only two runs while scattering eight hits and striking out six to earn the win.
Thomas Soto went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs and three RBI while adding another stolen base to his record-setting total. Caden Ransom went 2-for-4 with a round tripper, two runs and two RBI, Pacey Phillips had Moose Jaw’s other home run and went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Carter Roth went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI to lead Medicine Hat’s offence. Jalen King had two hits and scored their other run.
Derek Archer was the losing pitcher after giving up seven runs on seven hits over six innings.
Saskatoon 13, Swift Current 2
Things were close early between the teams as Saskatoon took a 4-2 lead into the fifth inning, but the Berries scored three runs there, added another four in the sixth and two more in the seventh to secure the mercy-rule victory.
Saskatoon was hammering the ball all night, getting eight extra base hits, including four home runs.
Josh Henson led the way with a 2-for-5 outing that included a double, home run, three runs and three RBI. Ethan Murdoch hit a pair of doubles while going 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Brock Laird, Gael Salinas and Aiden Kilshaw also hit round trippers.
Merek Yeager was the winning pitcher, allowing only two runs on four hits and striking out seven over five innings.
WCBL home run and RBI king Jake Hiromoto had a double as his lone hit for Swift Current, scoring one run and knocking one in. Chance Crawford was 2-for-3 and scored the 57’s other run.
Koufax Cranmer started for Swift Current and took the loss after giving up seven runs on 10 hits over five innings
Up Next
Three games involving Saskatchewan teams are on tap for Saturday, with Moose Jaw at Regina (6:05 p.m.), Swift Current at Medicine Hat (6:45 p.m.) and Saskatoon at Weyburn (7:05 p.m.)
