Caleb Newkirk hit a run-scoring double in an extra inning and Kaedyn Banilevic drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home the game-winning run as the Moose Jaw Canucks picked up an 8-7 win over White Butte in Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League AAA action at Ross Wells Park on Tuesday night.
The win marked the Canucks fourth extra-inning game in 11 games this season, and second in as many outings against the Broncos. It was also their third straight one-run game, after losing by the closest of margins to Parkland and Swift Current in their previous outings.
It looked good for Moose Jaw in the early going, as they put up four runs in the first inning. The Broncos would get all those back the very next frame, though, and the two clubs settled into a scoreless pitching duel the next three innings.
White Butte took the lead in the sixth, the Canucks went ahead 6-5 in their half of the inning and the Broncos would tie things up in the top of the seventh.
That set the stage for the extra inning with the international tiebreaker (runners start on first and second). White Butte managed to move their runners up and score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch, setting the stage for the Canucks’ final inning heroics.
The key hit capped another solid game at the plate for Newkirk, who saw his team-best batting average improve to .371 after a 2-for-3 night at the plate that included a pair of runs scored and three runs batted in. Nathan Varjassy was 2-for-4 with a run, Evan Callaghan crossed the plate twice.
The Canucks pitchers continued their impressive outings as of late, with Banilevic allowing four unearned runs on five hits through three innings before giving way to Cam O’Reilly. O’Reilly would scatter four hits over the remaining five innings, allowing two runs, one earned, while striking out seven.
The Canucks improved to 5-6 on the season and are back in action Friday when they travel to White Butte.
