U15 AAA Canucks Win Second Game In Home Opener Weekend
By Robert Thomas
It may not have been the game they were looking for but in the end the U15 AAA Canucks still manage to wrack up a 14 - 12 victory over top of the White Butte Broncos on Saturday afternoon in Moose Jaw.
The victory gives the Canucks a 2 - 0 record at home to start off the season after Friday evening’s victory over the Yorkton Cardinals.
Moose Jaw U15 AAA Canucks pitcher Zaid Guillaume put his entire effort into the one inning he pitched - MJ Independent photo
Saturday as afternoon’s victory largely relied on nine runs scored by the Canucks in the third inning after they got into the Broncos pitchers.
The Canucks would score two runs in the fourth inning. Just shy of the 10 run mercy rule.
The Broncos for their part would chase out four Canucks pitchers in as many innings. The Broncos would have three runs at the end of two innings.
The Broncos would score three runs in the third inning to advance six runs.
The Broncos would stave off the 10 run mercy rule by scoring five runs in the fifth inning.
Cohen Symak on the mound - MJ Independent photo
The Broncos s would score a single run in the sixth inning making the score 14 - 12. With no Bronco scoring in the seventh inning the Canucks won 14 - 12.
A key to the Canucks victory was the number of walks the Broncos pitching staff gave up.
Conversely the Canucks pitching staff gave away too many walks effectively limiting the team’s defence.
Neal Kohl scores a run in the First Inning - MJ Independent photo
Neal Kohl came up big on the weekend but it’s not something he wants to dwell on but he would rather see it as a team effort.
“It was a great weekend. We all came together and played really well. It’s a team game,” Kohl said, adding “it’s not just one person.”
About Friday evening’s pitching lesson he gave Kohl said it was OK but “it’s a team game and just don’t focus on one person.”
About his batting on Saturday he said it felt good and you have to put something into play.
“Anything will help,” he said before mentioning others on the team had a good batting on Saturday.
Moose Jaw Canucks Daxton Chesney trots in another run for the team - MJ Independent photo
Despite the Canucks pitching problems the team took advantage of the Broncos defensive problems.
The Canucks which helped take advantage of the Broncos weaknesses were often Moose Jaw’s pitchers.
Kohl said the goal for the team was “hopefully make tier one provincials, go somewhere and have a winning record (as a team that’s what we’re looking for this year.”
Pitcher Cohen Symak (left) and catcher Emery Schoenroth talk over strategy during the game - MJ Independent photo
“Today I didn’t feel our pitching staff as a whole did as good of a just throwing strikes and pitching for contact and letting our defence work,” U15 AAA Canucks head coach Craig Flanagan said.
“Far too many walks from the pitching staff and then our defence gets on its heels and the defence doesn’t make as many plays and not the pitchers,” Flanagan said.
He said the score was “indicative of the pitching today. Both sides pitching was not great today. Lots of walks and problems for both sides.”
The team in the after game meeting - MJ Independent photo
Despite the problems, Flanagan said that the Canucks had the momentum during the game and stayed right at it.
“It’s something you could feel.”
He said that it was great to have a momentum there because it gave the team a two game win for the weekend.
The Canucks next home game is May 7th versus Swift current at 6 PM at Blackwell Diamond.