After three consecutive losses the previous weekend, the Whalley Chiefs are winning again.
The B.C. Premier Baseball League team won three of four games last weekend, sweeping the Langley Blaze by scores of 4-1 and 5-1 Saturday in Langley, then splitting a double header Sunday at the South Surrey Athletic against the White Rock Tritons.
The Chiefs are now in third place at 10-4 (win-loss) on the season, two games out of first place.
Whalley pitcher Max Kondratowski got the win in Saturday’s first game in Langley, allowing one earned run on six hits and a walk through six innings. Ataru Yamaguchi shut down the Blaze in the seventh inning, retiring two of three batters by strikeout.
Nolan Weger paced the Chiefs offensively, going three-for-four with a pair of RBIs. Braeden Massignani also had a productive game at the plate, hitting a pair of singles and driving in one run.
Alex Deluca was the winning pitcher in game two, striking out five Langley batters. Deluca gave up an earned run for the first time in four starts, allowing five hits and a pair of walks. His earned run average is now 0.29.
Yamaguchi again pitched in relief, striking out the final two batters.
Stephen Horner with a single and a double and Keenan Wong with a pair of RBIs were the offensive leaders.
Thomas Espig threw a complete game to win a pitchers’ battle in Sunday’s first game, allowing just two hits without giving up a walk in the 1-0 triumph over the Tritons.
The Chiefs had just four hits, including a pair of singles from Massignani. A double by Espig scored Massignani in top of the seventh inning for the game’s lone run.
The Chiefs fell two runs short of completing a weekend sweep, allowing the Tritons to score four times in the first two innings before losing 4-2.
Whalley’s two runs came in the fourth inning. Massignani singled, allowing Weger to score from second base, then scored himself on an error.
The Chiefs will play twice at home next weekend, hosting the 11-1 Victoria Mariners for a doubleheader Saturday at Whalley Stadium at 1 p.m.
