Skip to content

Canucks split U18 AAA doubleheader with powerhouse Giants

Moose Jaw rallies from six runs down for 19-14 win, fall 11-6 in an extra inning in game two
The Moose Jaw U18 AAA Canucks showed they’re a much-improved team over last season when they lost their season opener to the Regina Athletics last Wednesday night.

Only a few days after that 13-8 defeat -- a loss that featured multiple comebacks before a final-inning collapse -- they left no doubt.

The Canucks again rallied from a huge deficit to take a 19-14 win over the Saskatoon Giants in game one of a Sunday afternoon doubleheader at Ross Wells Park before giving up six runs in an extra inning to fall 11-6 in the nightcap. 

The Canucks are now 1-2 in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League AAA standings, and are back in action Tuesday when they host the Swift Current 57’s, with game time 7 p.m. at Ross Wells Park.

Canucks 19, Giants 14

Moose Jaw got off to a solid start, scoring five in the first and building a 6-3 lead through two innings, but Giants would pour nine runs across the plate in the third to take a 12-6 edge.

Canucks head coach Scott Montgomery had earlier described his crew as a scrappy bunch, and they showed that and then some the rest of the way through. 

Three runs in the third, another two in the fourth and all of a sudden the Canucks were right back in it. Saskatoon then led 14-12 heading into the bottom of the sixth when everything changed: four hits, four walks, 11 batters to the plate and a seven-spot suddenly had Moose Jaw up by five. A shutdown sixth from Canucks reliever Kaedyn Banilevic would seal the deal on the win.

Banilevic would toss 4 ⅔ innings in relief of starter Cam O’Reilly and allow only three runs on six hits the rest of the way.

Every batter in the Moose Jaw line-up had at least one hit. Kaleb Waller was 2-for-2 with two runs and five RBIs, Kayden Hudson 2-for-2 with two RBI and Shaune Reimer 3-for-4 with three runs. Nathan Varjassay also crossed the plate three times.

Giants 11, Canucks 6

The Canucks again overcame a deficit in the second game, scoring single runs in the fourth and fifth to tie things 4-4 and then answering a single run from the Giants in the sixth with one of their own.

Things were still tied at five after seven innings, forcing extras. There, Saskatoon took advantage of the international tiebreaker (runners start on first and second) to take the lead before tacking on four more insurance markers and securing the 11-6 win.

Caleb Newkirk finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while Waller and Cole Breitkreuz had two hits each and O’Reilly knocked in a pair. Banilevic scored two runs.

Kyle Duncan got the start and all four runs on seven hits through four innings. Waller closed things out, allowing four earned runs on eight hits, striking out four.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks