Ice split doubleheader with Regina Royals in U17 AA fastball action

It was a bit of the good and a bit of the bad for the Moose Jaw 17U AA Ice in a doubleheader with the Regina Royals on Wednesday night.

And when it was good, it was really good for the local squad in the two-game set at Optimist Park.

The Ice put up 11 runs in the first inning and would go on to an 11-0 win in the opening game before a couple of tough innings proved to be their undoing in a 16-6 loss in the rematch.

The first contest was decided in a hurry.

Moose Jaw sent 16 batters to the plate in the first inning, put up seven hits and took advantage of five walks and a Regina error to put up their double-digit frame.

Ava Unser led the way at the plate, hitting a triple in the first inning and going 2-for-3 with a run and three runs batted in. Peyton Mengel was 1-for-1 with a pair of RBI, while Abby Maczuga and Macy Litzenberger had two hits apiece.

Unser had few difficulties on the mound, holding Regina scoreless while scattering three hits and striking out three in the four-inning mercy-rule win.

Moose Jaw also got off to a good start in the rematch, taking a 5-3 lead out of the first inning, but a six-run third and five-run seventh would see the Royals take their commanding win.

Litzenberger was 2-for-3 with a run, while Mallory Tendler knocked in a pair of runs and Kadence Dansereau had a 2-for-3 showing.

Mengel got the start for Moose Jaw and was the victim of a few too many errors, giving up 11 runs in three innings work, with only four of those earned. Haily Molde pitched the next three innings and allowed four runs on five hits before Unser closed things out, giving up the final run and striking out the side.

The Ice are in tournament action in Earl Grey this weekend, with their first three games seeing Moose Jaw facing the South East Sun Devils, Regina Storm and Lumsden Cubs.