The Red Arrow Duncan Tigers will get a chance to close out the Nanaimo Senior Men’s Fastball League championship series at home next week after winning the opening game in Cedar on Wednesday night.
The Tigers rallied from behind for a 4-3 win over Wheatsheaf in the first game of the final series. Down 3-0 after four, Duncan got one back in the fifth and three in the top of the seventh to go ahead, then held off Wheatsheaf in the bottom of the seventh.
Even the bottom of the seventh was dramatic as the Tigers gave up four hits. The first Wheatsheaf player to get on base was thrown out by catcher Dan Whiteford when he tried to steal second. Wheatsheaf then loaded the bases, but Tigers pitcher Snyder struck out the last two batters — his 12th and 13th strikeouts of the game — to end it.
The Tigers mustered only six hits in the game, but made them count. Snyder and Whiteford were both 1-for-2, Kyle Wanless and Chris Kline were 1-for-3, and Corey Bullen and Jamie Gicas were 1-for-4. Kline had two RBIs, and Snyder and Gicas plated one each. Wheatsheaf’s first two runs came on a two-run homer by Blake Hunter.
The Tigers swept Baker Supply 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs. Duncan won 10-3 at Glenora last Wednesday and 11-1 at Cedar the following night. Snyder and Trevor Gicas each slammed a two-run homer to power the first win, and Whiteford and Joey Massingham had two-run blasts in the second victory.
The second game of the final series goes next Wednesday at Glenora at 7 p.m., when the Tigers will be hoping to close out the best-of-three series.
