U15 AAA Canucks Firing On All Cylinders
Starting pitcher Taylor Usher threw a strong five innings - MJ Independent photo
By Robert Thomas
After a somewhat debatable lacklustre Saturday game the U15 AAA Canucks were a much different team on Wednesday evening as they defeated the visiting Swift Current 57s 11 - 2.
The Canucks were strong in defence as well as offensively in the game.
Taylor Usher pitched five innings almost reaching the 60 pitch count.
The last two innings saw two different pitchers take to the mound.
Daxton Chesney pitched one inning - the seventh - MJ Independent photo
The Canucks scored their first run in the first inning as pitcher Taylor Usher helped his cause by scoring a run.
The Canucks stranded a base runner and fell on three strike outs by 67s pitcher Cashin.
The second inning saw the Canucks go a straight three downs.
The 57s went out with three straight downs in the top of the third inning.
In the bottom of the third inning the Canucks managed to get a hit but wasted the opportunity by stranding a runner on second base.
The fourth inning would be big for the Canucks as they scored three runs on two hits. The Canucks would once again strand a runner. This time the Canucks runner was stranded on third base.
A Canucks player scores a run - MJ Independent photo - MJ Independent photo
The fourth inning saw the Canucks score three runs on two hits.
The fifth inning saw the Canucks score three more runs on two hits. The Canucks were also given an error.
The sixth inning saw the 57s score a pair of runs.
The Canucks would score four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Canucks would have a walk off victory as the 57s went off after three straight batters.
Moose Jaw U15 AAA pitcher Taylor Usher pitched a strong five innings - MJ Independent photo
“It was good. We had a pretty game. We battled hard. We went through the controversy there,” pitcher Taylor Usher said in a post game interview.
Usher felt the key to the team’s victory came because of adversity “and some stuff that happened during the game.”
Plus “having good hits and pitching stuff.”
Asked about his pitching five innings he said “it felt pretty good. I felt I did pretty good today.”
Usher disagreed stating Wednesday’s game wasn’t a major step compared to Saturday.
“Not too much we played pretty good on Saturday.”
Asked who played well in the game he said “honestly everyone played pretty good today out there.”
He did mention shortstop Lucas Lind who had a great game. Including a triple by shortstop Lucas Lind.
“I think it was good alright game. We played pretty good on the bat. And our fielding was good ,” Usher said.
Scoring a run - MJ Independent photo
Canucks head coach Craig Flanagan said despite the win he would have liked to see the team have a “few better at bats.”
“Overall we got another win. I was very impressed with Taylor (Usher) tonight,” Flanagan said, adding “and again what he did was attack the strike zone. And pitched contact.”
Flanagan said he used three pitchers in the game to “early in the season we want to get players into the game.”
With the pitch count “pretty well everyone needs to pitch. So you have to get guys reps early in the season.”
The Swift Current pitcher came out throwing hard and attacking the Canucks early in game.
“I think we had some pretty good bats in the fifth and sixth (innings) that opened it up a little,” he said.