The Westlock Red Lions will be scoreboard watching this week following back-to-back losses that have them out of the North Central Alberta Baseball League playoff picture.
A tight 2-1 home loss to the Stony Plain Mets July 29 coupled with a 4-2 road defeat at the hands of the Edmonton Blackhawks July 31 has the Red Lions at 10-9-1 and in fifth place in the NCABL with only one game left on their schedule — Aug. 8 versus the St. Albert Cardinals at Keller Field.
“Our pitchers pitched well in both games. Taylor Heck threw one hell of a game versus the Mets and kept us in it, but we just weren’t able to produce any runs for him,” said skipper Chris Brand.
“In Game 2 (versus the Blackhawks) Curtis Burlet threw five innings and Kris Johnson went the final two and we were in the game the whole time, but again the bats weren’t there and we couldn’t get the runs we needed.
“We faced two good pitchers this week and both shut us down. It was difficult to manufacture any runs … we just weren’t able get that first base runner on.”
Sherwood Park leads the league at 16-3, while the Cardinals are in second with a record of 11-6-1. The Blackhawks sit in third at 12-7, while the Edmonton Primeaus hold the fourth and final playoff spot with an 11-7-1 record.
All the teams are back in action this week, with Game 21 the final for all.
The run to the playoffs is nothing new for the Red Lions as they needed a victory in their final game of the 2018 season versus the Cardinals just to make the playoffs.
“We definitely need some help this week. We need the Cardinals to basically lose three games this week,” said Brand. “The last few years St. Albert and us have been fighting for that last playoffs spot.”
Grey Lions in the playoffs
Meanwhile the Grey Lions will begin their quest for an Alberta West Central Baseball Association title.
The club wrapped its regular season July 30 with a 7-6 extra-innings victory over the Fort Saskatchewan Red Sox.
Skipper Sheldon McConaghy pitched six-and-two-thirds, while Kevin Geinger sealed the deal on the hill.
“It was a full team win with everyone contributing,” said McConaghy. “We hope to use this momentum as we head into the playoffs.”
The rain has kiboshed the remainder of the regular season so the club will finish with an 11-3 record, good enough for second place in the AWCBA.
The Grey Lions will now face the Sturgeon Paladins in a best-of-three series in the opening round of the playoffs — dates and locations for the games weren’t available before deadline.
