The Whalley Chiefs took advantage of some beautiful June weekend weather to post three wins in four games in B.C. Premier Baseball League action.
The Chiefs swept a pair of games from the visiting North Delta Blue Jays Saturday, winning 4-1 and 1-0. On Sunday the Chiefs were at UBC where they split a twin bill with the Vancouver Cannons, dropping the first game 5-1 before bouncing back to take the second match 4-3. In Whalley Saturday, the Chiefs picked up a pair of wins at the expense of the rival Blue Jays. In the opener, Max Williams went the distance on the hill, allowing three hits and just one run while striking out five to earn the win. Dylan MacAhonic was tagged with the loss for North Delta.
Williams received plenty of support from his teammates as the Chiefs recorded 10 hits and plated four runs to cement the win. Lichel Hirakawa-Kao and Trevor Henits each connects for a pair of hits for the Chiefs while Spencer Rankin collected two RBIs.
Game 2 turned into a pitchers' duel and Whalley's Thomas Espig and the North Delta duo of Jonathan Cote and Bryant Pawliw each allowed just one hit in the game. Espig emerged on top as the junior lefty tossed a one-hitter with just one walk and eight strikeouts to blank the Jays 1-0. Hirakawa-Kao scored the game's only run in the fifth inning, reaching base with a walk and then advancing through the base paths before heading home with what turned out to be the winning run.
The Chiefs were back in action Sunday in Vancouver where they split a doubleheader with the Vancouver Cannons.
Vancouver took the opener 5-1 on the strength of a complete game effort from starting pitcher Isaac Greer.
Whalley rallied to take the second game, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh inning to squeak out a 4-3 win.
Chris DiFabio pitched the first six innings for Whalley to earn the win before giving way to Hirakawa-Kao, who picked up the save in relief.
Lucas Soper led the Chiefs at the plate
with three hits and one RBI.
The Blue Jays were also in action Sunday as they split a twin bill in Coquitlam against the host Reds. North Delta got off to a shaky start as they were bombed 8-2 in the opener.
The Blue Jays then salvaged their weekend with a bounce-back 6-2 win in Game 2. Nathan Unrau was solid on the mound for the Jays, allowing three hits while fanning seven in seven innings of work.
At the plate, Kyle Lee swatted three hits and drove in two runs to lead the Blue Jay attack.
Elsewhere, the White Rock Tritons went overseas where they collected three wins in four tries against Vancouver Island
opponents. White Rock kicked the trip off with a doubleheader sweep of the Nanaimo Pirates Saturday followed by a split with the Parksville Royals Sunday.
In Nanaimo, the Tritons blanked the Pirates 6-0 in their opener as Zach Campagne went the distance on the mound and allowed just three hits in the shutout win. Thomas Vincent connected with two hits and drove in three runs to power the Tritons attack.
The second game was much closer as the Tritons held off a three-run Pirates rally in the bottom of the seventh to escape with a 5-4 win.
Barry Caine earned the win in five innings
of work on the mound for White Rock.
On Sunday the Tritons were up the street in Parksville where they came away with a split of games.
In the opener, the host Royals scored twice in the first inning and added three more runs in the third and sixth innings to cruise to an 8-3 win.
White Rock answered in Game 2 by scoring early and often, building a 5-0 lead in the top of the third inning and then rolling to a comfortable 9-6 win. Vincent, Caine and Juan Paez each collected two hits in the win. Jordan Stephens picked up the win with four inning of work on the hill for White Rock.