The Nanaimo Palladian Pirates junior baseball team vaulted upward in the standings after a series sweep on the weekend.
The juniors swept doubleheaders against the Okanagan Athletics at Serauxmen Stadium, winning 1-0 and 4-0 on Saturday and then 6-4 and 5-4 on Sunday.
Nanaimo had to work overtime in the series opener, eventually coming out on top in extra innings. Bryan Odgers threw a complete-game three-hit shutout, striking out eight Athletics, and even supplied the walk-off RBI single.
The next game saw starter Tanner Linn throw another complete-game three-hit shutout, striking out six along the way. Dave Jerome was 2-for-2 with a two-RBI triple in the first inning. Griffin Kent hit a double and Griffin Andreychuk reached base four times.
In Sunday’s first game, Aidan Goodall pitched a complete game and received offensive support from Spencer Dawson, who was 2-for-2 with two stolen bases and two runs scored, and Alex Anderson, who was 2-for-3 with two RBI.
The fourth game proved an exciting finale, as the junior Pirates came back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win. Bryan Borelli’s two-RBI double to centre-field, with two outs, won the game. Odgers was 3-for-3 and Goodall reached base three times.
The Palladian Pirates visit the Victoria Mariners on Saturday (May 14), then return home to the stadium Sunday (May 15) to take on the Victoria Eagles at noon and 2:30 p.m.
