Cardinals Defeat North Shore 7-0 Despite Being Tied 2-2 in the 6th Inning; West Coast Improves to 19-4 in the 2017 Bantam AAA League with 9 Season Games Remaining

Posted May 29, 2017


Cardinals Defeat North Shore 7-0 Despite Being Tied 2-2 in the 6th Inning; West Coast Improves to 19-4 in the 2017 Bantam AAA League with 9 Season Games Remaining

The West Coast Cardinals played their first rescheduled game of the season, an early morning showdown against North Shore. After getting swept in Kamloops the day before, the Padres were in need of a victory this weekend but odds were not in their favour facing a fresh West Coast squad who had the 1 game weekend. In a game where North Shore was putting up a fight against the league's top team, it was a technicality that ended up turning a 2-2 ballgame into a 7-0 victory for the visiting Cardinal ballclub.

 

CARDINALS 7 NorthShore 0

For the first time this season, the West Coast Cardinals were starting the game with only 10 players (9 starters and 1 substitute), fatigue wasn't an issue as the Cardinals were fresh off a Wednesday beatdown of the Shore as they pounded out 16 hits and cruised to an 11-2 victory. Crozier got the ball for the Cards, looking to bounce back after a mediocre start against a offensively gifted Okotoks squad just less than a week ago in the gold final of the 2017 RCBA Queen Victoria Invitational. Gatzke got the start for the Padres, making it now back-to-back starts for the slim left-handed hurler against West Coast. Gatzke was arguably the most effective pitcher for North Shore in the 11-2 debacle last Wednesday, where he started going 2 innings allowing only a single run.

Gatzke took advantage of a generous strike zone early racking up 2 strikeouts and retiring West Coast's top 3 batters in order to kick off the game, something not too many teams have been able to accomplish this season. Crozier would work around a single from Fleurant to keep the score deadlocked at zeros after 1 complete. The first two Cardinal hitters in the 2nd went down quickly bringing up Kang with 2 outs; after swinging through a fastball above his shoulders, Gatzke opted for a breaking ball the next pitch which only sped up Kang's violent swing as #23 wearing the white digitals pulled the ball hard down the left field line reaching Eldon Park's left field fence for a double. Crozier would follow up the Kang double by slapping a high breaking ball to the opposite field, Yam forced to hold a below average baserunner Kang at third. Gatzke would get Fukuoka to ground out to second baseman Fleurant on a 3-1 count for the final out of the inning, stranding 2 Cardinal baserunners. Again, Crozier would work around a single this time from Lalani to keep it at 0-0 after 2.

9-batter Miles kicked off the offensive 3rd for the Cardinals and would lace a second pitch fastball to RF to get things started, much to delight of many friends and family in attendance for the once North Shore resident. With Miles now at 1st, Turnbull would give a clinic on how not to sacrifice bunt but eventually moved Miles to second successfully with a 2-strike run and hit. Sugi would then hit a grounder through the left side of the infield, Yam would trip on his pants taking a hard tumble to the ground as Padres' left fielder Shan would throw another bullet to home just like he did gunning Sugi out at the plate last Wednesday. With runners at 2nd and 3rd, Yuen would be unsuccessful in getting the run(s) home but Cardinal 4-stick Baybay would again come up with a big 2 out hit, smacking a double to the right-centre gap scoring both runners with ease. Powell would follow that up with a single to right field, Yam would send Baybay home with 2 outs on the base knock but due to some poor baserunning, Baybay was tagged out at home. Crozier would again work around a single, this time it was a leadoff single by his counter-part Gatzke to keep it at 2-0 Cards after 3.

The bottom of the 4th saw North Shore come to life as Laroche with 2 strikes on him would hit a well executed pitch down the left field line for a double and would advance to third on the mishandled ball by Kang in left field. Hotlzman wasted no time driving the run home as he would reach on a rare error by Cardinal SS, Yuen. Crozier would work himself into a jam as he loaded the bases on a single and a walk following the ROE by Hotlzman, Crozier would strand all 3 runners getting Gatzke to ground out to Yuen for the 3rd out. 2-1 Cards after 4.

Gatzke would continue his success against the Cardinal lineup as he strikeout the first two hitters of the 5th bringing his strikeout total up to 5 for the ballgame. Sugi would work a 2-out walk and promptly steal 2nd setting up Yuen with a chance to score Sugi with 2 out. Yuen would hit a single to LF, but Yam was forced to hold Sugi up at 3rd as the veteran didn't go on contact, Powell would eventually strike out looking with the bases loaded as the Cardinals could have tacked on an insurance run, but didn't due to another baserunning blunder. Shan would lead off for the Padres in the 5th and would shock West Coast by lacing a hard groundball double down the right field line for his first hit of the 4-game series between these two teams, Yam brought in Symons for relief hoping he could strand Crozier's inherited runner at 2nd but Edmonds would hit a 3-0 fastball above the letters to deep centre tying the ballgame up at 2s. A groundout by Fleurant moved Edmonds (go-ahead run) to 3rd with 1 out with Laroche now up. With a dangerous Laroche back up to the plate after hitting a triple just an inning ago, Yam opted to go with Kang out of the pen as Kang would do a masteful job of striking out Laroche and Hotlzman back-to-back keeping things knotted up at 2s after 5.

The top of the 6th went by quick as Edmonds was summoned to take over pitching duties for Gatzke, Edmonds would strike out 2 of the 3 Cardinal hitters to retire the side in order. The middle of the 6th is where things ended abruptly, Armistead (North Shore head coach) was not participating in this game as he was serving his one game suspension for using an illegal pitcher during round-robin play of the 2017 RCBA Queen Victoria Invitational last weekend. Armistead's assistant coach was the only coach present and for unforseen reasons had to leave the ballgame during the middle of the 6th inning, the only other coach (North Shore's Bantam AA head coach) who was listed on the lineup card never showed up which left the Padres with no coach. After this was brought to the attention of the umpires, the umpires had a quick word with Armistead and took action ruling that North Shore forfeits the game due to lack of officials. 7-0 Cardinals is your final.

 

It was an unfortunate way to win, and no one likes seeing a technicality take over especially one that turns a tie game around like that. Either way, the Cardinals were not satisfied with their performance leading up to the forfeiture, baserunning blunders and terrible approaches at the plate were going to lead to their eventual demise. The Cardinals escaped with a "win" when North Shore was clearly gaining all momentum of that game and West Coast will have to be a lot sharper when they get a visit from a visibly upset North Shore team, they'll go at it again on Wednesday in their final meet-up of the regular season. Will there be any fireworks in the final game of the 4-game set between these two divisional opponents, will North Shore put a halt to their current 4 game season slide or will the Cardinals be the first team to reach 20 wins this season...answers to all that and more, Wednesday 7pm @ Bird Field.



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