WESTLOCK – The Westlock Red Lions continue to jockey for top spot in the North Central Alberta League after splitting a home-and-home series with the defending league champs.
The Red Lions went 1-1 versus the Parkland Twins last week, scoring an impressive 8-1 victory at Keller Field June 27, then dropped a tight 2-1 decision June 30 at Henry Singer Ball Park in Spruce Grove. The split leaves the Red Lions in second in the NCABL with a record of 7-4, while the St. Albert Cardinals occupy first with an 8-3 mark and the Twins sit in third at 7-5. The Barrhead Orioles continue to stand in fourth at 4-8, while the Fort Saskatchewan Reds are 2-8.
At home Tuesday, the Red Lions rode a masterful pitching performance from Kyle Lawrence to score an 8-1 win. After giving up an unearned run in the top of the first inning, the left-hander dominated and struck out 12 over the remainder of the night, while the club’s bats came alive as they scored three runs in the first two frames, then put the game on ice with a five-run explosion in the fifth inning — Nate Day led the club offensively with three RBIs and a stolen base.
“It was a good night. They didn’t have their ‘A’ lineup by any means, but we were able to have some good at-bats and string some hits together. And Kyle really mowed them down,” said player-manager Chris Brand, who ended the night with two hits, a pair of runs and one RBI.
The Friday-night tilt saw the Twins score a run in the bottom of the first, then go up 2-0 in the third inning before the Red Lions responded with a run of their own in the top of the fifth. Brand said the game was a defensive battle as both sides had their chances but couldn’t cash in with runners in scoring position — the Red Lions managed seven hits on the night, while the Twins posted 10.
“We had some good defensive plays where we threw a couple of guys out at the plate and they had some diving stops. It was a really good baseball game,” said Brand.
This coming week, July 5, the Red Lions will be in Fort Saskatchewan to face the Reds, then host them July 11 at Keller Field and are slated to play the Orioles the following night, July 12, in Barrhead.
