A wet day at the ballpark turned the final games of the season into “swimming races”, said Doug Rogers, Nanaimo Pirates manager. If that’s the case, then the Pirates touched the wall in fine form.
The Hub City Paving Pirates (36-12) won all four of their home games Saturday and Sunday at Serauxmen Stadium, defeating the Vancouver Cannons 3-2 and 10-0 on Saturday and then freestyling past the North Delta Blue Jays 6-5 and 2-1.
The wins clinched second place in the B.C. Premier Baseball League for the Pirates. Nanaimo actually finished the regular season this year with a better record than last summer, when they went 34-14 to win the pennant.
Most notable from the weekend wins was Crosby Rushton’s two-run home run in the blowout against the Cannons. Alex Rogers pitched a six-inning shutout, allowing four hits. Nathan Odgers had a single and a triple, Brady Rogers doubled and tallied two RBIs and Griffin Andreychuk and Justin Clarkson had two hits apiece.
In the early game that day Clarkson hit a game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the seventh. Colby Morgan was the winning pitcher, throwing a complete game and allowing one earned run while striking out five.
On Sunday, Bryan Odgers earned the win in the early game after 4 1/3 innings of shutout relief. Brendan McCarthy hit a single, a double and scored three runs and Ben Dunbar was 2-for-2 with four RBIs. Andreychuk had two RBIs.
The weekend finale was shortened by rain, with Clarkson picking up the win, allowing three hits over five innings.
GAME ON … Playoffs start Saturday (July 28) at Serauxmen Stadium with a best-of-three series against either the North Shore Twins or the Victoria Eagles. Game times Saturday are noon and 2:30 p.m. and the rubber match, if necessary, goes Sunday at noon.