It was an up and down weekend for the Abbotsford Cardinals, as they split a pair of doubleheaders in British Columbia Premier Baseball League action on Saturday and Sunday.
The Cardinals traveled to North Vancouver on Saturday to battle the North Shore Twins for a pair of games, and the team’s offence dried up after scoring in the first inning.
Designated hitter Carter Loewen drove in Colton Harold in the top of the first, but the Twins added runs in the fourth and fifth to hang on for the 2-1 win. Gage Buck and Konnor Piotto also recorded hits for Abbotsford in the loss.
Chase Stewart was solid on the mound for the Cardinals, allowing just two runs and five hits in the loss.
The clubs met again later that afternoon, and again Abbotsford got off to a hot start, scoring three runs in the first inning.
Loewen hit a two-run double to open the scoring, and he then scored himself on a double from Ryan Hamilton. The Twins replied with a run in the first, but that’s all the Cardinals would allow. Abbotsford had three more runs in the seventh to add a little insurance. Hamilton, Buck and Dylan Ohlsen drove in the runs.
Cardinals pitcher Jon Lipp picked up the win, allowing one run and three hits in four innings of work.
Abbotsford then returned home on Sunday to host a doubleheader against the White Rock Tritons.
Game one saw White Rock jump out to a 2-0 lead after the first, only to have the Cardinals fight back to go up 3-2 after four innings.
The Tritons scored three more in the fifth to go up 5-3 but Abbbotsford answered back with two more to tie the game up at five. The teams each scored a run in the sixth and after a scoreless seventh inning, the two teams went to extra innings. Abbotsford then scored in the eighth to win the game 7-6.
Hamilton had a pair of RBI’s and Harold was the only other Cardinal credited with a run batted in. Loewen and Brett Bass both had a team-high two hits. Pitcher Josh Froese was awarded the win.
The two teams played a very similar game later that day, with the game again going into extra innings, but this time it was the Tritons who won 7-6 after nine innings.
Harold had three RBI’s and Hamilton had two in the loss. Harold had three hits and Loewen had two to lead Abbotsford offensively.
The Cardinals’ record now sits at nine wins and 15 losses, and they sit in ninth place in the 12-team BCPBL.
Abbotsford returns to action on Saturday, when they host the North Delta Blue Jays for a doubleheader on Saturday at DeLair Park. Game one kicks off at noon, with game two getting underway at 2:30 p.m.
