Parksville’s Qulaity Foods Royals were missing players due to graduation ceremonies this weekend, but beyond suffering their first sweep of the season on Sunday, was the solid effort turned in by the younger players.
The Royals came into the weekend having won three of four road games against North Delta and North Shore the week before, and went into the weekend’s BCPBL four-game home stand with double headers against those same Twins and the Coqultam Reds on Sunday.
The Royals’ Junior National team pitcher, southpaw Clayton Isherwood, kick-started the home stand Saturday as he went the distance for the 3-0 game one win over the Twins.
North Shore bounced back in a big way in game two as they broke open a scoreless tie in the fourth with five unanswered runs and added six more en route to a 12-2 win.
His first start since returning from the Dominican Republic with the Jr. National team, it was Ish’s fourth win in as many starts for the local squad.
“He pitched another strong game, he was very constant as usual,” said coach Dave Wallace.
Isherwood struck out eight and gave up only two hits in the complete game win.
On Sunday the Royals were swept for the first time this season losing 5-2, 2-1 to the Reds.
“We won one game, that’s all we deserved to win,” said Wallace, adding, “we were short handed a little bit this weekend but … the scores didn’t exactly reflect our play, with a couple breaks we could have won on Sunday.”
The weekend action puts the Royals at 15-8 on the season and sitting fourth in the 13 team league — three-and-a-half points back of the first place Nanaimo Pirates. The Victoria Mariners sit in third spot.
Highlights for the pinstripes were Devon Heard who stroked his second homer of the season.
Mitch Powelson pitched very well Sunday in the 2-1 loss, striking out eight without giving up a walk.
Josh Croft, who is hitting .300 and leads the league in RBIs with 17, “has been playing very well for us, and as a Gr. 11 he’s part of a strong nucleus of players we’ll be looking to next year.”
Catcher Mackenzie Parlow, who has stepped up to the plate after taking over the stating role had another good weekend calling and catching pitches behind the plate.
The biggest props on the weekend went to senior infielder Kevin Biro from Deep Bay.
Biro only played game one on Saturday and game two on Sunday “and when he wasn’t there it really was noticeable,” said Wallace, adding, “he made four outstanding defensive plays at third base (Sunday) that you don’t see many high school kids make and after the game the coach from the other team said he’s the best player in the league, and he’s the second opposing coach that’s made that comment.”
The Royals are approaching the halfway point of their regular season, and as Wallace points out, “we only won 16 games all last year, so we’re doing good.”
ON DECK
The Royals are in Whalley against the Chiefs on Saturday and travel to Langley Sunday to tangle with the Blaze.
