Nathan Nesbitt was stellar on the mound as the Vernon C&A Contracting Canadians won their Bantam baseball playoff opener Wednesday night at Marshall Field.
Nesbitt struck out eight batters and allowed just one run over three innings as Vernon pounded Rutland S&K Forming 9-1.
Tyler Liefke pitched the final three innings striking out three and allowing one run.
Rayne Goodwater led the offence by going 2-for-2 with two RBI, and Nesbitt helped his own cause by cracking a pair of doubles on three at-bats.
C&A travel to Kamloops on Saturday to play a double header.
Meanwhile, in Mosquito play Monday at Lakeview Park, the Wayside Press Black Ninjas ambushed Morgan’s Glass Yellow Lightning 12-9.
Stealth was key as the Ninjas swiped a total of 34 bases, seven more than the Lightning. Liam Henderson and Cole Hutchison paced the Ninjas with six burgled bags apiece. Nine of the Ninjas’ 12 runs were steals of home.
On the mound, Ninja pitching ace Ethan Keber struck out three, while Henderson and Hutchison each fanned a pair. Matthew Gehrmann played gold-glove defence for Wayside, pouncing on grounders, gunning out runners and snaring a blistering line drive at the hot corner.
Nick Petty had the hot bat for the Lightning, belting a pair of hits and driving in two. Jared Nickoli and Easton Rayner also chipped in with RBI hits.
Max Turnbull stole six bases, including home twice. Domonique Gaudette swiped five bases, and played alert defence, tracking down a difficult pop fly in the third. Rayner whiffed two batters in relief.
