It took 17 games, but the Langley Jr. Blaze finally tasted defeat.
The U16 baseball team had stretched their season-opening winning streak to 16 games on Saturday thanks to 4-3 and 9-1 wins over the Okanagan Jr. Athletics.
All four games were played at Kelowna’s Lombardy Park.
But facing the same squad on Sunday for another doubleheader, Langley lost the opener 6-4 before bouncing back with a 6-1 victory.
The Jr. Blaze lead the B.C. Junior Premier Baseball League with a 17-1 mark.
Jr. Blaze 4 Jr. Athletics 3
In the opener, Langley trailed 3-2 heading into the sixth inning before they struck for a pair of unearned runs.
Tanner Shaer drove in a pair, while Matt Strother and Mitchell Robinson had an RBI apiece.
Preston Kokatailo picked up the win.
Jr. Blaze 9 Jr. Athletics 1
The second game of the doubleheader was over early as Langley scored runs in four of the first five innings.
Nick Rutckyj had a solid game at the dish, belting three hits, including a double, and four RBIs.
Tyler O’Neill also had two hits and two RBIs.
Mitchell Kennedy scattered five hits over seven innings and striking out six, while allowing just one run.
Jr. Athletics 6 Jr. Blaze 4
After scoring twice in the first inning, Langley fell behind 6-2 after four innings and could not claw back, losing 6-4.
The Jr. Blaze did not help their own cause, committing three errors, which led to four unearned runs.
Ashton Mantle took the loss.
Rutckyj had another two RBIs, while Kokatailo drove in one.
Jr. Blaze 6 Jr. Athletics 1
The losing streak was short-lived as Langley bounced back from a 1-0 deficit to score the game’s final six runs.
Rutckyj drove in two more RBIs, while Kokatailo, Strother and Cratty had one RBI apiece.
Jon Bauer threw a complete game two-hitter with 11 strikeouts.
