Moose Jaw Canadians, Giants take wins over Little Black Bear in men’s fastball

It’s a rare night the ball stays in the confines of Lyle Helland Ball Diamond through both ends of a Rambler Park Fastball League doubleheader, but with how well the pitchers were dealing throughout Tuesday evening, it made complete sense.

The Moose Jaw Giants would take a 4-1 victory over the Little Black Bear Blues to open action at Memorial Field before the Moose Jaw Canadians took a 6-3 victory in the nightcap.

Both the Giants and Canadians are now 2-1 on the season, with Giants back in action on Thursday when they face Standing Buffalo in Regina, while the Canadians take on the Golden Hawks on Friday at Rambler Park.

Giants 4, Little Black Bear 1

Giants starter Al Muhle and Blues hurler Darian Bellegarde were all but untouchable until the final two innings in one of the lowest-scoring contests in recent history.

In fact, the two were almost equals through five innings -- Muhle allowed a single run on three hits, Bellegarde a run on four hits. 

The Giants broke through in the bottom of the sixth, though, sending eight batters to the plate and rapping out four singles to put three runs across the plate. Muhle shut things down in the top of the seventh to earn the win.

Bellegarde allowed a total of eight hits while striking out four, Muhle four hits with three strikeouts.

Jason Schneider finished the game 2-for-3, knocking home Nick Davis with the game-winning run in the sixth and coming around to add an insurance marker. Darryl Callaghan was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Stu Bellegarde was 2-for-3 for the Blues.

Canadians 6, Little Black Bear 3

The two teams found themselves tied 3-3 through three innings when the walks began to add up for Bellegarde -- the Canadians would take advantage of three free passes and an error in the fourth to plate a pair of runs and take a 5-3 lead.

That would be more than enough offence for Canadians pitcher Xavier Tremblay, who would allow the first two Blues hitters to score before allowing a single run the rest of the way. He’d scatter nine hits and strike out four without a single walk.

Bellegarde finished his second game of the night with six runs on five hit, striking out four and walking seven.

Sean Lougheed reached base in all three trips to the plate for Moose Jaw, finishing 1-for-2 with a double, run scored and RBI. Riley Almasi also reached three times, walking twice, scoring a run and knocking in one; Kent Barber was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Sean Pasqua was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored for Little Black Bear, Bellegarde helped out his own cause with a pair of hits and an RBI.