The first-place Westlock Red Lions won a set of home games this week against the Parkland Twins and Barrhead Orioles to extend their winning streak to eight games.
The Red Lions returned home to Keller Field this week after going on the road for a long stretch where they overcame the Legal Primeaus (10-2), Orioles (10-8), Twins (6-0), St. Albert Cardinals (6-0) and finished with a 19-1 steamrolling of the Edmonton Angels.
The Red Lions have only lost two games all season, against the Twins on May 13 (6-4) and the Cardinals on June 12 (1-0).
The Red Lions won 5-2 against the Twins on July 15 and 4-1 against the Orioles on July 17 in a set of games where their defence proved the difference.
Against the Twins, the Red Lions led 1-0 after the first three innings with all-star Derek Lofstrand scoring the only run in the first inning. They added another run in the fourth inning and took a 5-0 lead in the fifth inning with a three-run RBI scored by Allen Borle.
The Twins scored two runs in the sixth inning, pulling back to within three, but Red Lions pitcher Kyle Lawrence limited the Twins for the remainder, throwing 7 innings in total with no runs.
All-star Nathan Brown led the Red Lions against the Twins with two hits and Leyton Sharrun contributed an RBI as the Red Lions overcame their closest adversary in the standings.
The Red Lions matchup against the Orioles was a close affair with no score from either team after two innings.
Lofstrand broke the tie with an RBI in the third inning and impressive run by Ayden Cote.
The Orioles tied the game in the fourth inning, but the Red Lions answered with three runs of their own in the fourth through Steve Cote and Carter Hagel with Nate Day leading the offence with two hits.
Jared Lamb and Ayden Cote on the pitcher’s mound kept the Orioles off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game.
The Red Lions play their final home regular season game against the Cardinals on Thursday and wrap up the regular season with two more road games against the Angels and Primeaus.
The Red Lions will then seek to retain their NCABL title in the playoffs from Aug. 8-9.
