The Westlock Red Lions are still undefeated but lost their first-place spot in the North Central Alberta Baseball League after a 10-inning 2-2 tie versus the Legal Indians last Wednesday night.
The Lions gave up a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh to force the game into extra innings, and once the sun went down they had to settle for the tie.
“Well, you’re never happy when you lose a lead late in the game, but they’re a tough team,” manager Adam Sawatzky said.
“When you only give up two, it’s a good job.”
All the scoring in the game took place in the second inning, with the Lions TJ Oliwa knocking one out of the park with empty bases, then Stuart Shroder finding his way around to home plate on a single by Nathan Swap.
Indians’ Craig Fagnan put one on the board in the bottom of the second, and the Lions were able to hold on to that lead for several innings. Fagnan again found his way home in the seventh, evening up the score.
If there was a flaw in the Lions’ game, Sawatzky said, it was in the field.
“I think we just need to tighten up our defence a little bit,” he said.
“I really like our bats; all year so far everyone’s having great at-bats and really battling.”
The Lions went into last Wednesday’s game with a 3-0 record, winning their home opener May 9 against the Edmonton Blackhawks and then beating the Edmonton Jays in back-to-back games May 13.
The first of those two games was a tight battle, Sawatzky said, with the lead passing back and forth between the two teams before a big home run ended things.
“In the top of the seventh, we took the lead then gave it back,” he said.
“Then in the top of the eighth, TJ Oliwa hit a three-run home run.”
The second game went a lot easier than the first, with the Lions scoring two in the first, two in the second, then a whopping 10 in the fourth before both managers agreed to call the game after five innings.
“I had plans to get other guys into the game — a double header’s great for getting everybody in the game — but then they wanted to quit,” Sawatzky said. “There’s not much you can do.”
The Lions will have a two-week break before heading back to Keller Field to face the Edmonton Athletics May 30.
Later in the season having such a long break could prove to be a disadvantage, but the Lions aren’t going to complain after a busy stretch with eight games in four days.
“The guys are a little sore from playing four games in the first week; a break is nice,” Sawatzky said.
Having got their legs under them this season, the Lions’ manager said he sees big things on the horizon for the team.
“I think we’ve got a good shot at the playoffs if we keep playing the way we are, and the way we’re capable of playing,” he said.
