MOOSE JAW -- It’s 11 straight wins and counting for the Saskatoon Berries, but not without a few white-knuckle moments in Western Canadian Baseball League action on Friday night.
The Berries trailed the Moose Jaw Miller Express 8-7 late in their contest at Ross Wells Park but would put up three runs in the eighth and another two in the ninth to pull away for a 12-8 victory.
Only one other Saskatchewan team was in action Friday night, with the Swift Current 57’s taking a 4-3 win over the Okotoks Dawgs.
Saskatoon 12, Moose Jaw 8
Saskatoon found themselves holding a 6-2 lead heading into the Moose Jaw half of the sixth inning when the Miller Express bats came alive, putting across six runs and taking an 8-6 lead. That edge would stand until some untimely defensive miscues led to the Berries’ three-run eighth, and Saskatoon would close things out from there.
Nate Houston had a solid game for the Berries, finishing a triple away from hitting for the cycle while going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and four runs batted in. Ethan Menard himself just needed a home run to hit for the cycle and was 2-for-5 with two runs, while Mason Roell had three hits and scored three runs.
Will Edwards led Moose Jaw’s offence, going 2-for-4 with a double two runs and three RBI, while Austin Gurney had three hits and knocked in two. Eduardo Saenz added his third home run of the season.
Merek Yeager started for the Berries and allowed six runs on seven hits over four innings. Zac Laird ended up with the win after pitching a scoreless seventh, Tanner Hosick pitched the final two frames to earn the save.
Westin Walls opened for Moose Jaw and allowed six runs on nine hits in 4 ⅓, striking out six and walking five. Landen Zehr took the loss, giving up four runs, only one of those earned, as Saskatoon mounted their comeback.
Saskatoon is now 25-3 and first in the East Division, Moose Jaw fell to 13-16 and are fourth.
Swift Current 4, Okotoks 3
An impressive start from Nkosi Didder and some solid relief work late led to the 57’s securing the upset win over the West Division-leading Dawgs.
Didder went five innings and allowed only two earned runs on three hits, giving his offence the time they needed to secure the lead. They’d do so with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, after which Chase Cummins would allow a single unearned run over the next two innings and Ethan Bailey tossed a scoreless eighth and ninth to pick up the save.
Jayden Bahl started for Okotoks and allowed a run on two hits over four innings before the 57’s put up their big inning, scoring three runs off losing pitcher Nate Charlton.
Trigg Mapes had a single hit on the night for Swift Current but knocked in a pair of runs in the fifth, Wilmer Henriquez was 2-for-3 with a solo home run in the first.
Zane Skansi hit a two-run home run for Okotoks in the fourth, Kayden Williams had two of their five hits.
Swift Current improves to 7-24 and remain sixth in the East, Okotoks falls to 21-10 and remain first in the West.
