After losing a close 3-2 decision in game one, the Sask Five U15AAA Giants’ bats came alive in game two of the double header against the visiting Swift Current 57’s.
The result was a convincing 9-3 win in the game played at Mocon Field in Martensville on Sunday, May 15.
The team felt they could have also won game one. In that game they out hit the visitors 5-3.
All of Swift Current’s runs were scored by players who had reached first base on a walk and moved around the bases on ground outs, pass balls and wild pitches.
The Giants had a runners thrown out at third base and at home plate. While it is not a guarantee those runners would have scored if they had been held up, those were outs that reduced their opportunities to tie the game.
Swift Current’s Mason Fauser pitched the complete game allowing two runs on five hits, striking out four.
Giants starting pitcher, Willis Simair pitched three innings allowing three runs on zero hits and he struck out one batter. Josh Gutek came in relief and pitched four scoreless innings.
Sask Five regrouped during the break between games.
They took a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Ben Hosegood hit a line drive to centerfield and Rhett Anderson walked. Both runners scored on hits by Braden Toth and Blake Rowan.
Swift Current tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the second innings.
The Giants restored their lead in the bottom of the inning.
Kash Berg led off the inning with a walk. Josh Gutek reached first on a fielder’s choice with Berg being thrown out on the force at second base.
Axel Flodell’s double to right field advanced Gutek to third base where he was able tag up and score on a Houston Koch flyball to centerfield.
In the third inning the home squad blew the game wide open scoring five runs on singles by Rhett Anderson, Braden Toth, Reese Gyug, Blake Braaten and Houston Koch.
Sask Five would increase their lead in later innings as Reese Gyug got on base with a single and advanced to second uncontested. He then scored on a Blake Rowan hit.
Swift Current scored one more run in the last inning.
Braden Toth got the win for the Giants allowing two runs on five hits, striking out four batters in five innings pitched.
Ben Hosegood closed the game out allowing one run on two hits, striking out three batters.
In upcoming games the Giants will host the Expos on Wednesday, May 18 , the A’s on Saturday, May 28, and the Wolfpack on Sunday, May 29.