Royals held to four hits in loss to league-leading Welland
WELLAND – The Guelph Royals were limited to four hits as they were downed 8-2 by the league-leading Welland Jackfish in Intercounty Baseball League play Thursday at Welland Stadium.
It’s the third consecutive loss for the Royals who fall to 7-15 and remain in seventh in the eight-team league. Welland improves to 19-6 with its fifth consecutive win.
Welland Jackfish 8 Guelph Royals 2
The Royals never led in the game, but twice got the gap down to a single run as they trailed 2-1 after 4½ innings and 3-2 after 6½ innings. Welland pulled away with four runs in the bottom of the seventh.
In the fifth, Brando Leroux hit a double for the Royals, their only extra-base hit of the game, went to third on a groundout by Ethan Hammond and scored on a groundout by J.D. Williams.
Brandon Underhill relieved Welland starting pitcher Alberto Guerrero for the seventh and his stint lasted eight pitches. He plunked Noah Roberts, yielded an infield single to Kyle Kush and then struck Brando Leroux to load the bases with his final pitch.
Chris Boatto took over from Underhill and induced Hammond to hit into a run-scoring double play before getting Williams to fly out to end the threat.
Guelph’s hits were the double by Leroux and singles by Tristan Pompey, Jeff MacLeod and Kush.
Welland connected for 14 hits as Caleb Feuerstake and Carlos Martinez each hit three singles, Sam Cawker had a double and a single, James Smibert had two singles and Matteo Porcellato, Ethan Hunt, Hogan Brown and Tyler Dupuis each hit a double.
Yuki Narita took the loss for the Royals to fall to 3-2. He yielded seven runs, three earned, off 11 hits and three walks in six innings. He had nine strikeouts.
Ben Reid relieved for the final two innings and he yielded an earned run off three hits and two walks. He had a strikeout.
Welland had one of its unearned runs in the second and three in the seventh off Narita who didn’t get any of the four batters he faced in the inning out.
Panamanian Guerrero picked up the win in his IBL debut. He yielded an earned run off two hits and three walks in six innings. He had seven strikeouts.
Underhill gave up the other run, also earned, while Boatta held the Royals to a hit and he had a strikeout in two innings of work.
Scott Gillespie struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth, throwing nine pitches, all strikes.
The game was the first of a three-in-three for the Royals as they’re to play the eighth-place Brantford Red Sox (4-20, but on a two-game win streak) at Brantford’s Arnold Anderson Stadium Friday at 8 p.m. and host the third-place Kitchener Panthers (14-10) Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Hastings Stadium.
The game against Brantford is scheduled to be the first of three games against the Red Sox in four games for the Royals as the two teams are also scheduled to play Tuesday at Hastings Stadium at 7:30 p.m. and next Friday (July 21) at Brantford at 8 p.m.
- Guelph Sports Journal
Royals held to four hits in loss to league-leading Welland
WELLAND – The Guelph Royals were limited to four hits as they were downed 8-2 by the league-leading Welland Jackfish in Intercounty Baseball League play Thursday at Welland Stadium.
It’s the third consecutive loss for the Royals who fall to 7-15 and remain in seventh in the eight-team league. Welland improves to 19-6 with its fifth consecutive win.
Welland Jackfish 8
Guelph Royals 2
The Royals never led in the game, but twice got the gap down to a single run as they trailed 2-1 after 4½ innings and 3-2 after 6½ innings. Welland pulled away with four runs in the bottom of the seventh.
In the fifth, Brando Leroux hit a double for the Royals, their only extra-base hit of the game, went to third on a groundout by Ethan Hammond and scored on a groundout by J.D. Williams.
Brandon Underhill relieved Welland starting pitcher Alberto Guerrero for the seventh and his stint lasted eight pitches. He plunked Noah Roberts, yielded an infield single to Kyle Kush and then struck Brando Leroux to load the bases with his final pitch.
Chris Boatto took over from Underhill and induced Hammond to hit into a run-scoring double play before getting Williams to fly out to end the threat.
Guelph’s hits were the double by Leroux and singles by Tristan Pompey, Jeff MacLeod and Kush.
Welland connected for 14 hits as Caleb Feuerstake and Carlos Martinez each hit three singles, Sam Cawker had a double and a single, James Smibert had two singles and Matteo Porcellato, Ethan Hunt, Hogan Brown and Tyler Dupuis each hit a double.
Yuki Narita took the loss for the Royals to fall to 3-2. He yielded seven runs, three earned, off 11 hits and three walks in six innings. He had nine strikeouts.
Ben Reid relieved for the final two innings and he yielded an earned run off three hits and two walks. He had a strikeout.
Welland had one of its unearned runs in the second and three in the seventh off Narita who didn’t get any of the four batters he faced in the inning out.
Panamanian Guerrero picked up the win in his IBL debut. He yielded an earned run off two hits and three walks in six innings. He had seven strikeouts.
Underhill gave up the other run, also earned, while Boatta held the Royals to a hit and he had a strikeout in two innings of work.
Scott Gillespie struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth, throwing nine pitches, all strikes.
The game was the first of a three-in-three for the Royals as they’re to play the eighth-place Brantford Red Sox (4-20, but on a two-game win streak) at Brantford’s Arnold Anderson Stadium Friday at 8 p.m. and host the third-place Kitchener Panthers (14-10) Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Hastings Stadium.
The game against Brantford is scheduled to be the first of three games against the Red Sox in four games for the Royals as the two teams are also scheduled to play Tuesday at Hastings Stadium at 7:30 p.m. and next Friday (July 21) at Brantford at 8 p.m.
- Guelph Sports Journal