The Nanaimo Pirates are building confidence as the wins mount.
The Hub City Paving Pirates premier baseball team (11-2) got it done again this past weekend, sweeping the North Delta Blue Jays on Saturday by scores of 2-1 and 5-3.
Nanaimo won the first one in dramatic fashion, as Brady Rogers’ sac fly in the eighth inning scored Brendan McCarthy. It was textbook baseball – the Pirates got the leadoff man aboard, then got him around to score.
“If they could do that once an inning, produce one run, then you wouldn’t be in that position come the eighth inning,” said Doug Rogers, Pirates manager. “That’s what we’re asking, is for them to do the little things: move runners by a bunt or a sacrifice fly or a ground ball to the right side to advance a runner to third, that sort of thing. Those are the things that win ball games and it proved it during the first game.”
Kenton Schroter helped the Pirates get to extra innings thanks to a seven-inning, two-hit performance. Justin Clarkson ended up picking up the win in relief. Nick Granton was 2-for-2 at the plate.
In the second game, Brady Rogers and Clarkson led the offence with two hits and two RBI each. Colby Morgan pitched 2 1/3 innings of no-hit shutout relief for the victory.
“Eleven and two in baseball is really, really tough to accomplish,” Doug Rogers said. “So they feel good about that.”
GAME ON … The premier Pirates are entered in the B.C.’s Best exhibition tournament at Parksville starting Friday (May 20). Nanaimo is slated to play at 12:30 p.m. and at 3 p.m. that day at Springwood Park.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
