The only thing keeping the North Delta Blue Jays from being near the top of the B.C. Premier Baseball League is a lack of games played.
The Blue Jays improved to 9-2 (won-lost) after 3-0 and 3-2 wins over the Abbotsford Cardinals Sunday at Mackie Park in North Delta, and are just two games out of first place.
With 11 games played, the Blue Jays have played six games fewer than the first-place North Shore Twins (14-3) and 10 less than the third-place Langley Blaze (14-7).
In Sunday’s first game, Daniel Gosselin lowered his league-leading earned run average to .59 with a complete game that included seven strikeouts. He allowed just four hits, all singles, while collecting 10 strikeouts and walking just two batters.
He kept the game scoreless until the Blue Jays scored their three runs over the final three innings.
William Quito singled to score Braedon Miller with the winning run in the fourth inning. Noah Or scored on a wild pitch in the fifth, and Logan Newman singled to drive in Quito for the third run in the sixth.
In the second game, North Delta outhit the Cardinals 12-3, but needed two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for the come-from-behind win.
Miller doubled twice, scored two runs and drove in the third. Trevor Gentles singled twice, scoring Miller each time.
The Blue Jays got a second complete-game effort from their pitching staff. Tyler Hoefer allowed two earned runs on three hits and a trio of walks. He had nine strikeouts.
The Blue Jays will play at home again on Sunday, hosting the 6-13 Coquitlam Reds for two games at Mackie Park. First pitch is at 11 a.m.
