The vast majority of games on the North Central Alberta Baseball League schedule were cancelled last week due to wet conditions, including the Westlock Red Lions game in Sherwood Park July 19 tilt against the Athletics.
The team did manage to get in a game on the road against the St. Albert Cardinals July 16, but fared poorly, committing nine errors on the field, and losing 4-3.
The loss snapped the Red Lions’ four-game winning streak and brings their record to 8-4-1, planting them squarely in third place in the league behind the 12-2 Athletics and the 11-4 Edmonton Primeaus and just ahead of the Edmonton Blackhawks who stand at 7-6.
“It was a tight 4-3 game, but it wasn’t our best performance,” said manager Chris Brand. “For it being as close as it was, we really have to thank our pitchers for getting us out of the jams we put them in.”
Curtis Burlet started on the mound, pitching for four innings and was relieved by Kris Johnson for the remaining three innings.
Despite the poor defensive performance, the Red Lions managed to match the Cardinals offensively until the last out of the last inning.
“In the seventh, we had a chance at a run, with a runner on third base, but throughout the game we were unable to bring runners across the plate when they were in scoring position,” said Brand. “The way we lost that game is something we don’t want to dwell on.”
The first baseman was unable to corral a throw from across the diamond, allowing the Cardinals’ winning run to cross the plate on what should have been the third out of the inning to put the game into extra frames.
It’s a busy week ahead for the Red Lions, who will attempt to make up a rained-out game against the Athletics July 22 in Sherwood Park before taking on the Parkland Twins in Spruce Grove July 24. The squad will then be back on the road to Edmonton to take on the Athletics July 26 before returning home to Keller Field to try to make up a double header against the Edmonton Blackhawks July 28.
In other Red Lions news, the team sent four players — Taylor Heck, Jordan Brand, Sean Beaudoin and Pat Rains — to the NCABL All Star Game, which was held July 21 at Remax Field in Edmonton. The Jiffy Lube All Stars, which included the Red Lions along with other players from the Sherwood Park and Edmonton Athletics teams and the Stony Plain Mets, fell 7-2 to the Beverly Optimist All Stars.
