It’s never too early to start planning for playoffs.
The Hub City Paving Pirates baseball team spent Sunday working on the ball field at Serauxmen Stadium in anticipation of hosting a playoff series there later this month.
“The Pirates put away their bats and gloves and traded them in for rakes, shovels and wheelbarrows…” said Doug Rogers, Pirates manager, in a press release.
Primarily, the work consisted of replacing the infield dirt and weeding the warning track.
“Many players over the years take Serauxmen for granted, not really understanding what goes into keeping such a great park in pristine condition,” Rogers said.
A day earlier, the Pirates split a doubleheader on the road against the Parksville Royals. Nanaimo won a 16-inning game 3-1 but lost the rematch 8-0. In the first game starting pitcher Kenton Schroter threw 10 innings, striking out 14 batters, before giving way to reliever Colby Morgan who earned the win. Brendan McCarthy’s two-RBI double stood up as the game-winning hit.
GAME ON … The premier Pirates (25-11) visit the Fraser Valley Chiefs (19-22) on Tuesday (July 5) in Surrey for a doubleheader. Nanaimo then hosts the Vancouver Cannons on Saturday at noon and 2:30 p.m. at the Serauxmen Sports Fields before playing the Abbotsford Cardinals on Sunday back at Serauxmen Stadium, also in noon and 2:30 p.m. games.