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Jays drop four in Kelowna

North Delta falls short of PBL playoff position
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Riley Grewal hit a two-run double Sunday in Kelowna to give the North Delta Blue Jays an 8-2 lead over the Okanagan Athletics. The Jays couldn’t hang on and fell 9-8.

Four losses in as many games in Kelowna last weekend eliminated the North Delta Blue Jays from B.C. Premier Baseball League playoff contention.

The Jays fell 2-1 and 11-1 in Saturday’s double header, then were topped 5-3 and 9-8 on Sunday.

North Delta concluded the weekend with a 19-28 (won-lost) record with one game to play, a makeup game tonight (Tuesday) against the White Rock Tritons at South Surrey Athletic Park.

The Athletics needed eight innings to get their first win of the weekend, making the most of just two hits in the game. Malcolm Boehm singled to score Cunningham to give the Jays a 1-0 lead in the third inning, but Okanagan tied the game in the sixth on a solo home run then got the win in the eighth when a single scored a runner from second with two out.

Luke Manuel took the loss despite striking out 14 Okanagan batters, allowing two earned runs while issuing six walks.

The Athletics rocked three Jays pitchers for 14 hits over five innings in the second game, rolling to an 11-1 triumph. Brock Morgan went two-for-three at the plate in a losing cause, while Ryo Takenaka doubled to score Cunningham for the lone run.

In Sunday’s first game, North Delta erased a 3-0 Okanagan lead, only to give up two runs in the sixth inning of a 5-3 loss. Clint Taylor with a double and two RBIs was the offensive leader for the visitors.

The Jays scored early and often in the final game, but an 8-2 lead wasn’t enough.

North Delta led 3-2 after one inning, getting one run on a wild pitch and two on bases-loaded walks. An Athletics error led to another North Delta score and a 4-2 lead after two innings.

The Jays scored four more in the third inning. Another bases-loaded walk in the third made it 5-2, Jordy Cunningham hit a sacrifice fly to drive in a sixth run, then Riley Grewal connected for a two-run double scoring Manuel and Brett Sakaki.

The Athletics chipped away, finally taking the lead with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.