GULLS TAKE EXTRA INNING THRILLER TO OPEN WCBL CHAMPIONSHIP
By Mitchell Blair
There is nothing like playoff baseball. On Thursday night at Currie Field, the Sylvan Lake Gulls and the Regina Red Sox treated over 2000 fans to a classic that ended with the Gulls taking a 3-2 victory in 11 innings to open up the Western Canadian Baseball League Championship.
After Regina took a 2-1 lead in the 5th inning on a Matthew Fox homerun, the Gulls pecked back with one of their own in the 6th setting the stage for both teams to show off their bullpen.
Sylvan Lake’s Garrett Lundmark held Regina bats quiet as he pitched four innings striking out seven while Regina’s Ayden Page continued his fantastic playoff run as he threw four innings allowing just two hits while striking out four.
Regina had chances in both the 9th and 10th inning to score the winning run, but Lundmark shut the door in the 9th striking out Jalen Meyers with runners at 1st and 3rd in the 9th and Rafael Jackson in the 10th with runners at 2nd and 3rd to prevent Regina from capturing the opener.
In the 11th, Sylvan Lake got the break they needed when Matthew Quick hit a one-hopper to Matthew Fox. Not only did Quick beat the play out, but the throw was wide allowing him to take second base on the error. A wild pitch moved Quick to third with the decision then being made to intentionally walk Tripp Ray.
That move proved to be a costly one as Ray stole second and with the throw going to second, Quick took off for the plate and beat the throw back home to put the eventual game-winning run on the board.
Zayd Brannigan worked a leadoff walk in the 11th inning to give Regina a baserunner, but that was all that Gulls closer Mickey McClaskey would allow as Fox, who was five-for-six at the plate, struck out with Brady Bye then flying out to the center fielder and Daniel Castellanos striking out to end the game leaving Sylvan Lake undefeated in the playoffs as they are now 5-0.
The Red Sox, who won two games on the road in Saskatoon, to advance to the final will have to be road warriors again as the final two games of the series will be played in Sylvan Lake. Game 2 will go Friday night with a 3rd game if needed going in Sylvan Lake Saturday night.
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