Langley Blaze’s Nick Rutckyj connects with the pitch during the Blaze’s opening day doublheader sweep of the North Shore Twins at McLeod Park on Saturday. Rutckyj went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs in Langley’s 2-1 victory as the team is off to a 3-0 start to the season. Jon Bauer (bottom photo) threw a no-hitter on April 10 as Langley won 4-0.

Langley Blaze’s Nick Rutckyj connects with the pitch during the Blaze’s opening day doublheader sweep of the North Shore Twins at McLeod Park on Saturday. Rutckyj went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs in Langley’s 2-1 victory as the team is off to a 3-0 start to the season. Jon Bauer (bottom photo) threw a no-hitter on April 10 as Langley won 4-0.

Hot start to season for Blaze

Langley U18 baseball team 3-0

  • Apr. 11, 2012 11:00 a.m.

The Langley Blaze have had a red-hot start to the baseball season.

The U18 Premier Baseball League club — which captured the 2011 provincial championship — is a perfect 3-0 to start to the season.

Even more impressive, is the fact the team’s pitching staff and defence have allowed a combined one run over that span.

The Blaze’s latest victory came on Tuesday night at McLeod Park as they blanked the White Tritons 4-0.

Jon Bauer threw a no-hitter, scattering four walks and seven strikeouts over seven innings.

Greg Rogers broke the scoreless tie with a two-run triple in the fifth inning, scoring Michael Dagg and Nick Rutckjy,

The Blaze put the game away in the sixth when Preston Kokatailo’s triple scored Josh Wray. Kodatailo later scored on a wild pitch.

Langley had opened the season with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday, 1-0 and 2-1 over the North Shore Twins. That was also at McLeod Park.

In the first game, Bill Germaine scored the game’s only run on an RBI single from Wray.

On the mound, Marc-Andrew Haber went the distance, scattering five hits over seven innings.

Rutckyj took care of the offence in the second half of the doubleheader, finishing 3-for-4 with a solo home run in the third inning, and then a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh, which brought home Dagg for the winning run.

Justin Geerts allowed one unearned run on two hits in six and a third innings pitched, while Bauer came on for the final two outs.

The Blaze hit the road for the first time this season as they head to Kelowna for a four-game series with the Okanagan Athletics (3-1).

Langley Times