Just five games into a 44-game season, the Whalley Chiefs are sitting atop the B.C. Premier Baseball League.
The Chiefs improved to 6-0 (win-loss) with a sweep of Sunday’s double header against the Nanaimo Pirates and a 5-2 victory over the Coquitlam Reds Tuesday evening. All three games were at Whalley Stadium.
The Chiefs edged Nanaimo 3-2 in the first game Sunday, before rolling past the visitors 11-0 in the rematch.
The Chiefs had several opportunities to bury the Pirates in they first game, but settle for a one-run victory. After Whalley scored one run in each of the first three innings for a 3-2 lead, they had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning. But two flyouts later, the Pirates escaped the inning and remained just one run down.
The home side didn’t need to add to their lead, as they retired nine of the next 10 batters.
Brendan Fee threw his second complete game of the season, giving up just two runs on four hits without allowing a walk.
Brendan Yip, Stephen Horner and Brendan Gerbert each had a pair of hits, with Weger collecting a pair of RBIs.
Whalley needed just five innings to put away the Pirates in the second game, scoring seven runs in the first inning on their way to a five-inning win. Winning pitcher Alex Deluca allowed just two hits for his second consecutive shutout victory.
Yip, Gerber, Braeden Massignani and Matt Legg each had a pair of hits to lead Whalley’s 13-hit attack. Six hits were for extra bases.
The Chiefs had just three hits against the Reds, including a double from Owen Napieralski, but drew five walks.
Cheifs starting pitcher Kyle Stubbins pitched three scoreless innings with three strikeouts, but Ataru Yamaguchi got the win after allowing two earned runs on four hits and a pair of walks.
The Chiefs will be the provincial capital this weekend, playing a pair of double headers. They visit the Victoria Eagles Saturday then play twice Sunday against the Victoria Mariners.