The Western Major Baseball League season is only a week old, and already the Yorkton Cardinals have played six games putting together a 3-3 record thanks to a rain shortened win over Saskatoon at Jubilee Park Monday.
Jeff Chase started the game pitching six innings before the game was called. Chase took the win, allowing seven hits, one run, along with five strikeouts.
Chase said in spite of a near constant drizzle the game went well for him on the mound."The mound held together pretty well," he said, adding he had confidence in his defence. "I knew the guys behind me can throw a wet ball."Chase said at times too it comes down to having luck on your side.
"Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good," he said, adding the team made some " good plays behind me."
As an assistant coach Chase said he also recognized the win Monday was a huge one. He noted the team started out 1-3, and then pulled off two wins to even their record.
"Hopefully we can get some momentum going here," he said.
Chase said while evening the record is important, the team is not satisfied with a .500 record.
"Absolutely not. You don't come out to the ballpark and not want to win every game," he said.
Chase said his role as assistant coach is a different one, but something he is enjoying.
"It's a little different. It's a little more of a leadership role," he said, adding the team is responding well. "The guys have been awesome." He said the team is showing a lot of character and that is a bigger factor for any team.
Chase noted that his new role is not exactly coaching skills.
"It's managing things. They all know how to play ball," he said. "For the most part it's keeping their minds right."
The Cardinal offence scored all five of its run in the home half of the second inning for the win.Sunday rampageThe Cardinal offence exploded Sunday afternoon at Jubilee Park scoring a 15-6 win over the Moose Jaw Miller Express.
Max McDonald was the Cardinal starter, and the game winner. He gave up five Moose Jaw runs over his seven innings of work. He allowed nine hits, and five earned runs, while striking out five.
David Kaplan had six RBIs on four hits, and scored twice to lead the Yorkton offence.Matt Poier added three RBIs, while Preston Lyon scored four times, and Jon Mihic plated three times on the afternoon.
Chase said the big win coming after a close 1-0 loss said a lot about the current edition of the Cardinals.
"That's where character comes in," he said, pointing to the scoring barrage in the next game.
Highway 10 rivalry round oneYorkton headed down Highway 10 to face Melville Saturday, and ended up in a defensive struggle.
Stephen Johnson started on the hill for the Cardinals, tossing eight innings, striking out seven, and allowing only two hits and one earned run. He walked only one.
Chase said one of the hits credited to Melville was an error in his mind, and the run unearned.
"Steve threw an absolutely awesome game," said Chase, adding it was perhaps the best pitching effort he has seen in three years with the Cardinals.
Derek Howell started for the Millionaires, pitching five inning and allowing five hits but no runs for the win.
Corey Sartor had a four inning save allowing no hits for Melville.
It was a slugfest for the Cardinals Friday night in Regina, where they eventually fell 9-8 to the host Red Sox, with the home team scoring one in the eighth to tie the game, and one in the ninth for a walk-off win.
Josh Wesson started the game and pitched into the fifth inning, allowing six runs, on six hits. Four of the runs were earned. He would not get a decision in the game.Stuart Pudenz took the loss pitching the ninth.
Duncan McAlpine and David Kaplan both had two RBIs in the game.
First road game
The Cardinals went on the road last Wednesday, taking a 6-5 win over the Weyburn Beavers.
Returning hurler, and now assistant coach, Jordan Herbison started the game in Weyburn and threw five innings, but he would not be around for the win, after allowing five runs on eight hits.
The Cardinals would use four relievers in the game, with Stuart Pudenz pitching the final 2.1 innings to get the win.
Preston Lyon had a big night at the plate, with three hits, two runs scored, and a run batted in.
Thomas McAlpine had a huge night as well, with four hits, and three RBIs.Last Tuesday
The Cardinal season opened last Tuesday at Jubilee Park with the Regina Red Sox in town.
Returning veteran, and now assistant coach Jeff Chase got the home opener start, going five innings, giving up only two hits, and two runs, both of them earned, with striking out nine and walking five. He was tagged with the loss.
Lyon had two hits for the Cardinals, and scored the team's only run of the game.
