The Nanaimo Pirates had the sort of weekend that will boost their spirits and their playoff hopes.
The Hub City Paving Pirates won three out of four games in B.C. Premier Baseball League action on the road this past weekend, sweeping the Coquitlam Reds by scores of 10-1 and 6-5 on Saturday and then splitting with the Vancouver Cannons the next day, winning 4-0 and losing 10-0.
Doug Rogers, Pirates manager, said the team had a positive week of practice.
“The main focus was on focus – focusing every play, doing your job, being responsible to teammates, everybody focusing in on what they needed to do,” Rogers said. “It showed.”
The blowout win to start the weekend built confidence, he said. Josh Burgmann threw a complete game for the win, striking out eight. Shawn Arabsky led the offence with a single, double, two runs scored and two RBIs. Tristan Olsen also had two hits and Zach Diewert had two RBIs.
The second game was highlighted by a Diewert home run, a no-doubter to left. Rogers said the Pirates pranked their slugger, pretending not to notice his home run for awhile before finally relenting and congratulating him.
Other offence that game came from Josh Carless-Jones, who was 2-for-3, and Olsen, who singled and doubled. North Rainey earned the ‘W’ after allowing no earned runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief.
Garrett Goodall threw a complete-game shutout in New Westminster on Sunday, giving up three hits. Chris Vlaj was 2-for-3 and Arabsky drove in two runs.
The three-win weekend bumps a slump as the Pirates head into a busy stretch of the schedule.
“One of the goals was to make sure we try to instil confidence in these players because they can play the game, it’s just we were in a rut,” Rogers said.
GAME ON … The Pirates play three road doubleheaders in four days starting Thursday (July 3) with games against the Victoria Eagles.
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