HYDE CREEK—Ivan Hall blasted two home runs, had four RBI and scored five times as the Hyde Creek Hillbillys cruised to a 17-2 win over the Port McNeill Rangers in North Vancouver Island Baseball League play Sunday at the local ballpark.
Jason West won his third straight decision as the Hillbillys closed out the contest in five innings under the 15-run limit rule.
The league is playing an abbreviated schedule this spring following the withdrawal of the Port Hardy Cubs due to low turnout. The few remaining Port Hardy players have banded with the Rangers in a combined team while they try to recruit additional members in time to field a team in the season-ending tournament in July.
The Rangers needed all the help they could get Sunday as the Hillbillys jumped on starter Harold Hosken early. Hyde Creek reached the five-run limit in both the first and second innings and, after being limited to a single run on Hall’s solo blast in the third, put up another five-spot in the fourth.
Taylor Galeazzi tripled and drove in three runs, Aaron Hinton went 3-for-3 with two RBI and Tom Cessford scored four times for the winners.
For Port McNeill, Brandon Proc walked and scored in the first inning, then belted an RBI single to plate Marshall McNish with the Rangers’ final run in the fourth.
The teams returns to Hyde Creek Ballpark this Sunday for a 4 p.m. rematch.
Hillbillys 20, Rangers 1
Every regular scored as Hyde Creek unleashed a 21-hit attack in a five-inning victory on a rain-soaked field May 25.
Chris Lamothe, one of the Port Hardy players on loan, stroked a leadoff home run in the third inning to provide the Rangers’ only offence.
Galeazzi had two hits, two walks and scored four runs for the Hillbillys.
BASEBALL
North Vancouver Island Baseball League
June 1
at Hyde Creek Ballpark
Hillbillys 17, Rangers 2
Hillbillys 551 51—17 26 0
Rangers 100 10— 2 8 3
West, Rushton (4) and Hall; Hosken, Proc (4) and Johnson. W—West (3-0). L—Hosken (0-2). LOB—Hillbillys 7, Rangers 8. HR—Hillbillys, Hall 2 (2). 3b—Hillbillys, Galeazzi, Scott. 2b—Hillbillys, Scott, R. Cessford. SB—Hillbillys, T. Cessford 4, Galeazzi, Hall, C. Bono, Bell, Hinton 3. Umpire—Dumonceaux.
