Things were most definitely different when they took the field on Sunday afternoon.
The Ice would drop a 1-0 decision to the Regina Lazers in a defensive barnburner before taking a 3-0 victory over the Regina Saints in the second game at Optimist Park.
Moose Jaw is now 3-1 on the season and are back in action next weekend when they host the Saskatoon Hustlers Green and Lumsden Cubs on Sunday, June 20. Game times are 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Lazers 1, Ice 0
The two teams put on a pitching clinic throughout the opening game, and it would take until the seventh inning for a run to cross the plate.
There, the Lazers would get the lead-off runner on base, steal second and advance to third on a wild pitch before scoring on an error.
Avery Funke drew a walk to lead off the Moose Jaw half of the final inning and would steal second and third with none out, but three straight strikeouts would bring the game to an end.
The Ice had their share of chances to ensure things weren’t nearly as close -- a runner on third in the first, as well as having their first two hitters walk and reach scoring position in the second and third. But the Lazers managed to escape each time.
Moose Jaw would strike out a total of 18 times in the game, while also drawing seven walks.
The Ice pitchers, meanwhile were just as effective: Taryn Friesen tossed three innings and struck out the side in each, Funke allowed a single hit and struck out five through the final three innings.
Lilly Novak had the lone Moose Jaw hit.
Ice 3, Saints 0
Moose Jaw got on the board quickly in their second game Sunday, with Sophie Johnstone hitting a first-inning double and knocking home Tara Bell with their opening run only three batters into the game.
The Ice would tack on two more runs in the third and ride their pitching and defence the rest of the way for the win.
Avery Garthus started and pitched three innings, striking out eight of the nine batters she faced, before giving way to Friesen, who tossed the next three and struck out another seven. Funke pitched the final inning and tacked on another ‘K’ while giving up the only Saints hit on the day.
Johnstone and Friesen were both 1-for-2 with two runs batted in, with Friesen’s RBIs coming on a home run in the bottom of the seventh, which the two teams played out for experience. Georgie Fowler was 2-for-3 and also had an RBI.
