Senior pitcher Bryan Pawlina picked up his first win of the season, as Parksville’s Quality Foods Royals went 1-3 against the Okanagan Athletics in Kelowna last weekend.
The Royals won game one of Saturday’s BC Premier Baseball League double header 2-0, but the league’s first place As took game two 6-2, then swept the visitors 13-3, 13-2 on Sunday.
“Bryan pitched very well for his first outing of the year,” Royals’ skipper Dave Wallace said of his right hander from Courtenay, who is back for his third season with the pinstripes.
Pawlina pitched four complete innings, giving up two hits, no walks, and fanned three. Yuki Takahashi worked the remaining three innings, giving up a hit to go along with a walk and 3Ks.
The Royals’ Sam Visona broke open a scoreless game in the top of the fifth inning, when he scored off a Mackenzie Parlow sacrifice fly to left field with one out. Liam Joyce scored the insurance marker for the Royals in the sixth. The Royals outhit the As 5-3.
“We knew we were in tough going up there — it’s a long trip,” Wallace surmised. “We played four games in 24 hours and traveled about 900 kms including two ferry rides … or some of our guys that’s 10-plus hours on the road easy,” said Wallace.
“It’s tough, but we know that going in to win one out of four … we played a very solid game in the win, it was certainly our best game or the year so far …”
“We did some good things but not enough, our defence was inconsistent again, but the players are working hard,” said Wallace, who had extra props for Qualicum Beach’s Mackenzie Parlow, who caught all four games.
The Royals slip to 3-5 on the season and sitting 11th in the 13-team league.
GAME ON
The Royals are home this weekend for back-to-back double headers.
On Saturday they host the 5-4 North Shore Twins (12:15 p.m. start) and on Sunday they take to the field against the 3-5 White Rock Tritons in an 11 a.m. start.
Local baseball fans will have the chance to get their first look at Royals’ ace Clayton Isherwood who is back home from a strong showing with the Canadian National Junior baseball team and back on the Royals’ roster — Isherwood will start game one on Saturday.
