Sweeping a doubleheader will mean more to the Mid Island Pirates than just two wins in the standings.
Nanaimo’s B.C. Premier Baseball League team was able to take two from the Coquitlam Reds on Sunday on the Lower Mainland, winning 6-4 and then 7-5 in extra innings.
“We were thrilled with the results and you can really see the difference in the kids right now,” said Doug Rogers, Pirates manager. “They have confidence on the field, they’re having fun on the field and it rubs off on everybody.”
The highlight was the second game, which ended in unlikely fashion. In the bottom of the seventh, the Reds advanced a man to third base with nobody out and the Mid Island coaches privately doubted victory, but the Pirates were able to force two infield ground outs and got out of the jam. Then in the ninth, Nanaimo squeezed in the go-ahead run and added one more for good measure.
“The kids went crazy in the dugout and it was just a real fun day and a great ride home,” Rogers said.
He said it’s difficult to win the way the Pirates did on Sunday, finishing a four-game road trip against a team that didn’t play the day before and has fresher pitching arms. He said the Pirates did what it took.
“They played small ball, they played good defence, they pitched well,” said Rogers.
In the extra-innings game, Alex Jinda, Connor Caskanette and Jackson Stephens had two hits each and Graham Dube drove in two runs. Cole Anderson threw 1 1/3 innings of relief for the win and Gavin Pringle got the save.
In the earlier win, Josh Hill had two hits and two runs scored, Jinda threw six innings for the win and Anderson made the save.
The day before, the Pirates lost a pair to the White Rock Tritons by scores of 7-5 and 4-2. In the first game, Ben Munger had a hit, two walks and two runs scored.
GAME ON … The Pirates visit the Victoria Eagles on Tuesday (May 2) and then travel to play the North Delta Blue Jays on Sunday.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com